On the Japanese model of Apples popular iPhone 3G. the new phones have a loud shutter speed sound, when a picture is taken. The reason is that they are hoping that this loud sound will discourage some people from taking sneak shots up the dresses of ladies. Other companies are also adding this feature to their models as well. According to this article:

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. On almost all new cell phones, the camera shutter sound can not be muted, Hayashi says.

“Some manufacturers have even put louder shutter sound,” he reports.

The shutter on the first iPhone sold in Japan could be muted in silent mode; an anomaly that many wondered whether Apple would correct in the iPhone 3G, Hayashi says.

Apple did: The shutter sound cannot be turned off, even in silent mode, Hayashi says.

Interesting. So if a sneaky guy wants to take a quick shot under a dress or of a ladies front, the loud shutter noise is going to scare him off and prevent this from happening. If this is the case, than why isn’t this a standard feature for all iPhone 3G models? Which begs to question. Why isn’t this on all iPhones? Do we have less perverts here in the US than the Japanese have?

Comments welcome.

Source.