Softbank signs deal with Apple to bring iPhone in Japan

Japanese internet service provider, Softbank Corp. announced Wednesday that it has signed a deal with Apple Inc. to sell super-popular handset, the iPhone, later this year in Japan.

Tokyo, Japan-based cell-phone carrier and broadband-services company Softbank said it has won the right to sell Apple's revolutionary iPhone in Japan and will market the device in 2008.

Softbank said that its cell phone unit, Softbank Mobile, which is Japan's third-largest cellphone operator, has signed an agreement with the Cupertino, California- based iPhone maker to bring its combination phone to Japan sometime later this year.

Softbank spokesman Naoki Nakayama declined to give further details like pricing and launch date of the device.

Japan's number one mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo was reportedly in talks with Apple last year to launch the iPhone here but was reluctant to accept the US computer giant's demand for a share of subscriber revenue.

Softbank hopes that the rights to market the much-hyped iPhone would give the company a significant boost in the Japanese cell phone market, and will strengthen its position to pose a challenge to its larger rivals NTT DoCoMo and KDDI.

As of the end of March, Japan's number one mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo holds 49.7 per cent share of Japan's total mobile phone and personal handyphone market, while KDDI stands at second place with a user base of 30.1 million. Softbank trails behind both the carriers with 18.77 million subscribers.

The iPod/Mac maker’s Japanese iPhone deal comes less than a month after it signed similar deals with Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SingTel) to bring the much-hyped mobile phone iPhone to Singapore, India, the Philippines and Australia later this year.

On May 12, the fixed and wireless voice and data communications services provider SingTel said it has along with its associates, including Bharti Airtel Ltd, Globe Telecom Inc and Australian unit Optus, signed an agreement with Apple to launch the combination phone in Asia later this year.

The world's leading mobile communications company NTT DoCoMo was reportedly also in talks with Apple last year to launch the iPhone in Japan but was reluctant to accept Apple’s demand for a share of subscriber revenue. However, NTT DoCoMo said it hasn't yet given up on a deal.

After revolutionizing the personal computing with its Macintosh line of desktop and notebook computers, and digital media market with its most popular iPod, Apple has revolutionized the mobile industry by launching its highly-anticipated combination phone, iPhone in the United States in June last year.

Priced at $499 for 4-gigabyte model and $599 for an 8-gigabyte model, this multifunctional device accumulates three amazing products, a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching, into one small and lightweight handheld device.

As of March, Apple has sold 5.7 million iPhones since its launch in 2007. Apple CEO Steve Jobs, way back in January, proclaimed that Apple is aiming to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008.