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AKB48 Mail (mobame) iOS and Android App

Discussion in 'AKB48 News & Releases' started by gakushan, Feb 26, 2018.

  1. gakushan

    gakushan Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    [​IMG]

    Mobame is now available through a mobile application - NO JAPANESE PHONE NUMBER REQUIRED!

    For those of you not familiar with the service, members will write short messages to their fans who have paid the monthly subscription service and selected to see their mail. There's no way to reply directly to mobame but fans will often use a hashtag on twitter that they know their member is looking at to respond to the message. The app charges you monthly through the payment method of your app store.

    Source: https://goo.gl/raUFxW

    Getting Started
    Like other apps related to AKB48, this app is only available to download in the Japanese app store. There are guides elsewhere on how to bypass country restrictions so I won't go into detail here. Short answer:

    iOS: create a Japanese iTunes account
    Android: either create a Japanese google account (or change your region to Japan) or install using an APK. I used an emulator + VPN to get the APK from the play store and then installed it onto my phone.

    Pricing
    Currently there is a promotion where you can try the app and receive mobame for free until March 4. You still need to have your payment stuff set up though. The pricing chart per month is below:

    • 1 member: 400 yen
    • 2 members: 700 yen
    • 3 members: 1,000 yen
    • 4 members: 1,300 yen
    • 5 members: 1,600 yen
    • 6 members: 1,900 yen
    • 7 members: 2,200 yen
    • 8 members: 2,500 yen
    • 9 members: 2,800 yen
    • 10 members: 3,000 yen
    • 20 members: 5,600 yen
    • 30 members: 8,400 yen
    • 50 members: 14,000 yen

    The above prices are from the official published sources and show up in my Japanese play store emulator account. However, when I set up the app on my US play store Samsung device, I was getting lower prices (3.47 USD for 1 member and all other prices are lower). But, my free trial lasts only 3 days rather than 7 days. So I assume there is some hidden arbitrage for lower prices if you care about that.

    Screen Translations
    English translations of some key screens are below. The rest are pretty self explanatory in my opinion. Even if you don't know Japanese, members do send photos in their mobame so...

    Screenshot1.png Screenshot2.png Screenshot3.png Screenshot4.png

    Cancelling or Changing Subscription
    To cancel your subscription, go into your app store and find the option for "subscriptions" (not in the mobame app). You can cancel your subscription or change the payment info for mobame here. Try to do this at least 1 day in advance of when you will be billed.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
    • Winner Winner x 1
  2. Rurouni

    Rurouni Stage48 Moderator Staff Member Stage48 Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2015
    If you pick the 1-9 members package, you only get 3 days of free trial. 10~ members package will give you 7 days of free trial which probably the package that everyone need to choose (pick the max, 50 members!) and then immediately unsubscribe when you reached the end of trial period.
     
  3. marioworldakb

    marioworldakb Under Girls Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2017
    Location:
    Hinachan's Cell House
    Oshimen:
    Iwata "Sukinaso" Hina
    Twitter:
    marioworld929
    The next step is learn some Japanese ;)

    Or do google translate
     
  4. TiduShoko

    TiduShoko Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2013
    Location:
    Spain
    Oshimen:
    komiyamaharuka
    Twitter:
    TiduAura
    Thanks!! I got +2 member jajaj, but now I have +50 members.

    And I think you can change the member you have whenever you want.
     
  5. NoxDWN

    NoxDWN Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2017
    Location:
    France
    Twitter:
    NoxDWN
    I wish I would lose as much weight as my wallet does...
    I'm honestly amazed at how creative the marketing team of the 48 group is when it comes to gathering money
     
  6. cvbm

    cvbm Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2017
    Oshimen:
    watanabemayu

    The funniest part is, we realise their intention and yet happy to pay. ☺️
     
  7. Palioxis

    Palioxis Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2014
    Oshimen:
    miyazawasae
    How do you guys pay? Is there a way to do it on android or something? Because I don’t have a Japanese credit card to link to my Japanese iTunes account.
     
  8. Nieru

    Nieru Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2015
    Wasn't that the first step all along?
     
  9. mils

    mils Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2017
    On Android you just pay with the payment method associated to your Google Wallet, so what you usually pay with on the PlayStore. It can be a credit or debit card and in some countries they also accept PayPal. I used an international debit card just fine.
     
  10. gakushan

    gakushan Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Android will let you pay using your local payment method so no problems here. For iPhones, you will need to get Japanese iTunes cards (I think prepaid cards like v-preca don't work for iTunes purchases until they have a verified address). There's services for this if you aren't in Japan or don't know anyone living in Japan who can buy them for you and give you the code.
     
  11. Palioxis

    Palioxis Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2014
    Oshimen:
    miyazawasae
    。゚(゚´Д`゚)゚。 ugh everything sounds so troublesome........ maybe my next phone should be an android....

    But thanks guys.
     
  12. TeamJaiD

    TeamJaiD Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2014
    Location:
    Thailand
    Oshimen:
    Onishi Momoka
    Some reminder for who din't know Japanese , iOS version look like can't copy text so you need to capture instead
     
  13. round

    round Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2015
    Has anybody used a Japanese iTunes card to pay for this, without having other payment methods set up? I don't want to buy one and then find out that it doesn't work:chuffed:
     
  14. TiduShoko

    TiduShoko Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2013
    Location:
    Spain
    Oshimen:
    komiyamaharuka
    Twitter:
    TiduAura
    I love when members send a message with my name jajaja .
    I'm really enjoying this free period.

    IMG_-6qkahj.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 11, 2018
  15. TeamJaiD

    TeamJaiD Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2014
    Location:
    Thailand
    Oshimen:
    Onishi Momoka
    it work for me I have receipt from itunes that told they will cut 400 yen after free period
    I think if you didn't set up payment methods or have money on apple id you can't process to select that course
     
  16. lionel90

    lionel90 Under Girls

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2009
    Twitter:
    Lionel_90
  17. Ezia

    Ezia Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2017
    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Oshimen:
    Muto Tomu
    Thanks for the guide. All set up successfully on my phone! Does anyone know roughly how often the girls write messages?

    Just navigating the menus and registration was great Japanese practice for me so I'm excited to get in some good practice from reading the messages! I'm good at grammar and vocabulary but my kanji recognition could use some work.
     
  18. extomomi

    extomomi Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    May 6, 2009
    Location:
    Vancouver, Canada
    BTW...in case if anyone didn't know how to cancel their subscription (for android only)
    you have to cancel it through google play store

    I spent so much time trying to find it on the AKB mail app lol
     
  19. gakushan

    gakushan Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    I added a section for canceling to the top post. It should be in the app store for iOS also.
     
  20. TiduShoko

    TiduShoko Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2013
    Location:
    Spain
    Oshimen:
    komiyamaharuka
    Twitter:
    TiduAura

    I have 50 members for free since 4 days. I made a table putting the name of the member and how many messages send during a day and the average of 4 days.
    Members.PNG Members1.PNG

    Suzuha and Rei are the best.

    I have a question. What members do you have right now? Or what member will you have after free period? I'm curious jaja


    Tomorrow it's the handshake event so the photos will be good!!

    I made the final table when my free period is out (March 4th or 5th).
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2018

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