Apple's Phil Schiller paints pragmatic cloud future to JP media (and warns Google): "customers not looking for web-based computers"

In an exclusive interview to Japanese media a few hours ago, Philip Schiller - SVP of worldwide product marketing at Apple - warned that "customers are not looking for web display-driven computers".

Firing a shot across the bow to Google's all-encompassing cloud-based OS strategy, and making sure that Asian markets are listening, he predicts a more pragmatic approach to cloud computing with a growing distinction between cloud-friendly software, and other software that isn't and that will remain local.

"Lots of software and data, such as games, movies, and pictures, don't work well in the cloud [...][In the future,] high-performance computers loaded with software and browsers that are easily usable by the cloud will become mainstream".

(see the original Japanese article here).

#1 Jpn mobile carrier Docomo now lead shareholder in #1 Korean carrier KT, mull common mobile future

After a largely unsuccessful foray into licensing its mobile internet technology i-Mode into Europe in the early 00s, and a number of minor deals with emerging market carriers, the leading Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo has upped its shareholding in the leading Korean carrier KT from 2.2% to 5% by switching its convertible bonds into common stock.

Now the largest shareholder of KT (after the Korean Pension Fund, Korea's largest govt-sponsored institutional investor), Docomo execs will join KT execs to form a new board/committee to oversee the adoption of a common mobile handset sourcing plan and common investment strategies into 3rd party carriers worldwide.

(for the original article in Japanese from the Nikkei, see here)