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Line passes 400M users, but is there room to further innovate in mobile messaging?

Rick Martin 2014.04.02

Japan’s Line Corporation announced today that its total registered users for its Line messaging app have surpassed the 400 million mark. The company has also released an informative graphic showing the geographical breakdown of where its users are (see below). Still no official word from the company on active user numbers. It will be interesting if the company can make a significant splash in the US market. They haven’t really made such a push there to date, but it’s likely to happen this year. I’m still not such a heavy Line user, even though I live here in Japan. And I can’t help but wonder if new apps like FireChat, that use iOS’s Multipeer Connectivity Framework, could represent opportunity for even further innovation in this space. Messaging apps are cool. But offline messaging is even cooler than cool.

Japan’s Line Corporation announced today that its total registered users for its Line messaging app have surpassed the 400 million mark. The company has also released an informative graphic showing the geographical breakdown of where its users are (see below). Still no official word from the company on active user numbers.

It will be interesting if the company can make a significant splash in the US market. They haven’t really made such a push there to date, but it’s likely to happen this year.

I’m still not such a heavy Line user, even though I live here in Japan. And I can’t help but wonder if new apps like FireChat, that use iOS’s Multipeer Connectivity Framework, could represent opportunity for even further innovation in this space.

Messaging apps are cool. But offline messaging is even cooler than cool.

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Tokyo Metro’s new subway app for tourists can mislead

SCORE 1,329

Rick Martin 2014.04.02

Tokyo Metro has launched a new English language app called ‘Tokyo Subway Navigation for Tourists’. I just wanted to take a moment to show why I would not recommend it to any tourist. Here’s a sample search and result for how to get from Shibuya to Ebisu: Most train apps will tell you that the best way is to take the Yamanote Line, operated by JR East, for one stop and you’ll be there in about three minutes. But Tokyo Metro has not included JR trains, either because it can’t or doesn’t want to. Whatever the case, its a disservice to consumers. No app should ever suggest this route to anyone. Otherwise the app looks sharp, bringing interactivity to the popular Tokyo Metro map, as well as language support for English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, and Japanese. Considering the shortcomings of the above application, it would be nice to see third party developers be better enabled to contribute in this space. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications does have an open data strategy, which is said to include public transportation such as trains and buses, but I’m not sure of its current progress. I don’t see any information…

Tokyo Metro has launched a new English language app called ‘Tokyo Subway Navigation for Tourists’. I just wanted to take a moment to show why I would not recommend it to any tourist.

Here’s a sample search and result for how to get from Shibuya to Ebisu:

Most train apps will tell you that the best way is to take the Yamanote Line, operated by JR East, for one stop and you’ll be there in about three minutes. But Tokyo Metro has not included JR trains, either because it can’t or doesn’t want to. Whatever the case, its a disservice to consumers.

No app should ever suggest this route to anyone.

Otherwise the app looks sharp, bringing interactivity to the popular Tokyo Metro map, as well as language support for English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, and Japanese.

Considering the shortcomings of the above application, it would be nice to see third party developers be better enabled to contribute in this space. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications does have an open data strategy, which is said to include public transportation such as trains and buses, but I’m not sure of its current progress. I don’t see any information for developers about APIs on Tokyo Metro’s or Japan Railways’s websites in English, and that should really change.

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Amazon Japan launches new storefront to better serve women

Rick Martin 2014.04.01

Today Amazon Japan launched a storefront focused on females, dubbed ‘Amazon Woman’ (amazon.co.jp/woman), catering to women and mothers specifically. According to CNet Japan (Japanese), it’s the first time that Amazon Japan had a project team driven by a core of female employees. The site will focus on fashions, cosmetics, food, lifestyle goods, etc, with over 6000 items currently listed. While women may not be treated so fairly in Japan, many internet companies in the country are starting to realize the opportunities in providing custom services to women. Even here at The Bridge we have a special category dedicated to women on our Japanese site. CNet Japan

Today Amazon Japan launched a storefront focused on females, dubbed ‘Amazon Woman’ (amazon.co.jp/woman), catering to women and mothers specifically. According to CNet Japan (Japanese), it’s the first time that Amazon Japan had a project team driven by a core of female employees. The site will focus on fashions, cosmetics, food, lifestyle goods, etc, with over 6000 items currently listed.

While women may not be treated so fairly in Japan, many internet companies in the country are starting to realize the opportunities in providing custom services to women. Even here at The Bridge we have a special category dedicated to women on our Japanese site.

CNet Japan

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Japanese app ‘YourGolf Online’ acquired by TV network

YourGolf Online

Masaru Ikeda 2014.04.01

YourGolf Online is a Tokyo-based startup that provides a GPS-enabled golf logging app. Jupiter Golf Network, Japan’s only golf-focused TV network, announced today that it has taken a full stake that company, with neither party disclosed the specific figures around the acquisition. Since its launched back in 2011, the app (available on both iOS and Android ) has seen more than 1.6 million downloads from over 390,000 users in Japan and around the world. Based on an accumulation of course data from over 2,500 domestic courses and 30,000 courses beyond Japan, the app lets you record at which courses you’ve played, how you made approach shots, and what scores you earned. By acquiring YourGolf Online, Jupiter Golf Network plans to explore possible synergies around their business by attracting amateur golfers to their network, perhaps providing golf-related video programs via mobile or tablet apps. via Nikkei IT Pro

YourGolf Online is a Tokyo-based startup that provides a GPS-enabled golf logging app. Jupiter Golf Network, Japan’s only golf-focused TV network, announced today that it has taken a full stake that company, with neither party disclosed the specific figures around the acquisition.

Since its launched back in 2011, the app (available on both iOS and Android ) has seen more than 1.6 million downloads from over 390,000 users in Japan and around the world. Based on an accumulation of course data from over 2,500 domestic courses and 30,000 courses beyond Japan, the app lets you record at which courses you’ve played, how you made approach shots, and what scores you earned.

By acquiring YourGolf Online, Jupiter Golf Network plans to explore possible synergies around their business by attracting amateur golfers to their network, perhaps providing golf-related video programs via mobile or tablet apps.

via Nikkei IT Pro

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Japan’s EventRegist raises $1.6 million from Nikkei

Shintaro Eguchi 2014.04.01

See the original story in Japanese.Tokyo-based EventRegist provides a mobile app for event organizers. It lets you announce events, handle ticketing, and collect admission fees from guests. The startup announced today that it has raised 165 million yen (about $1.6 million) from Japanese newspaper company Nikkei. Since its launch back in November of 2011, EventRegist has been available to five markets, offering service in Japanese, English, Indonesian, Thai, and traditional Chinese. They will use these new funds to intensify product development and marketing efforts. Their platform has been adopted by notable events here in Japan, such as the New Economy Summit, Ceatec Japan, and Ad:tech Tokyo. It appears they will focus on adding more functions for event-organizing companies rather than just individual meet-up organizers. Update: Nikkei unveiled they are planning to integrate their digital edition’s subscribers with EventRegist, promoting events by helping them easier register to attend.

See the original story in Japanese.Tokyo-based EventRegist provides a mobile app for event organizers. It lets you announce events, handle ticketing, and collect admission fees from guests. The startup announced today that it has raised 165 million yen (about $1.6 million) from Japanese newspaper company Nikkei.

Since its launch back in November of 2011, EventRegist has been available to five markets, offering service in Japanese, English, Indonesian, Thai, and traditional Chinese. They will use these new funds to intensify product development and marketing efforts.

Their platform has been adopted by notable events here in Japan, such as the New Economy Summit, Ceatec Japan, and Ad:tech Tokyo. It appears they will focus on adding more functions for event-organizing companies rather than just individual meet-up organizers.

Update: Nikkei unveiled they are planning to integrate their digital edition’s subscribers with EventRegist, promoting events by helping them easier register to attend.

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