It’s something only people who have traveled and been to Japan know, both consciously and subconsciously. A feature that was created to reduce malicious situations. iPhones in Japan ring and will always ring when you try to take a photo or record a video if you’re doing so. Can you mute it with the shutter or silent option? It’s not possible for the following reason.
Why do iPhones in Japan make a shutter sound when taking a photo or video?
Do a Google search for “iPhone with camera sound Japan,” and you’ll see several media outlets and forums covering this situation, just as we will. It’s a curiosity worth reporting whenever possible, as the situation is very unique. Remember that Japan has a unique history with Apple, even when it comes to promoting its products.
Is it legal to take photographs in public places in Japan? It is legal as long as you don’t invade privacy and the Japanese cultural norm of privacy. According to professional photographer Tia Haygood, interviewed by Anthony Griffin, “It is not a crime to photograph faces in public, but it can be a crime if the person being photographed finds the photo published.” Many people who travel to Japan or parts of Asia are completely unaware of this situation.
The problem arises when malicious and perverted individuals misuse the camera on any device. That’s why the iPhone’s shutter sound can’t be disabled. According to a 2008 post, when the iPhone 3G was first released in Japan, they noticed this situation and attributed it to this problem.
It was thanks to Japanese telephone operators who took the measure at the beginning of the new millennium that the mandatory shutter sound is now in place. Camera phones were beginning to be launched, and unauthorized photos of strangers began to spread. Manufacturers took note, and that’s why it’s happening on an iPhone.
What happens if I buy an iPhone in Japan and take it to another country?
Apple doesn’t offer a formal explanation in any of its help or support sections other than a simple “no.” An experienced user who has visited Japan numerous times indicates that it is possible to silence it, but it depends on several circumstances.
If you buy an iPhone in Japan and travel to another country using a local SIM, the iPhone will know you’re not there. It will operate under your chosen sound settings. To give you a real-life example, an iPhone 15 Pro Max from Japan in Russia had a shutter sound that remained until a local SIM was inserted, then suddenly disappeared.
If you travel to Japan with an iPhone purchased in Spain or anywhere else in the world, it will inevitably ring once you’re in the country, even if you have a local SIM card inserted. With today’s technology and the advanced operating system, location will be the determining factor.
