Japan mobile market: Xiaomi price hikes and new device launches

The Japanese mobile market is seeing shifts in device pricing and service performance. Xiaomi Japan has announced price increases for several smartphones and tablets starting in early September, driven by rising semiconductor and memory costs. Affected models include the high-end Xperia 17T Pro and the POCO X8 Pro, both seeing increases of approximately 20,000 yen.

In the mid-range sector, FCNT is releasing the arrows Alpha2, with prices starting near 95,000 yen. Additionally, Sony has scheduled a new product announcement for late August, which is expected to introduce a new model in the Xperia 10 series.

Regarding mobile services, recent speed tests for low-cost SIM (MVNO) providers in Japan show varying performance during midday congestion. Among non-carrier-based providers, mineo maintained relatively stable speeds across multiple networks, while other providers like IIJmio showed significant fluctuations in download speeds during peak hours.