Cameras on Japanese Phones Cannot Be Silenced

Leander Kahney, back in 2008:

In Japan, upskirt and downblouse shots have become increasingly popular with the advent of high-resolution camera phones.

As a result, all cell phones sold in Japan make a conspicuous shutter sound, or say the word “cheese” when a snap is taken, according to Nobuyuki Hayashi, a tech reporter based in Tokyo.

In other strange-iPhone-camera-restrictions-in-Asia news, Singapore now has camera-less iPhone 4’s and 4S’s, because members of their military are not allowed to carry cameras.

★ Friday, 20 January 2012