SOFTBANK MOBILE announces their agreement of iPhone in Japan!

SOFTBANK MOBILE has announced they have reached agreement with Apple to supply iPhone to Japan!

SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. today announced it has signed an agreement with Apple® to bring the iPhone™ to Japan later this year.

Hmm… Why now, when they introduced new mobiles yesterday and WWDC will be held from next Monday?

Nevertheless, this contract doesn't seem exclusive according to this press release. So I suspect docomo will also supply iPhone.

Anyway, congratulations to SBM users for now!

I thought the announcement would be made during WWDC… Then may we see ‘buy now’ just after WWDC Keynote!?

‘This year’ includes ‘from now’ :-)

PS #1

♦iPhone from SBM; ‘Regrettable’ says docomo—CNET Japan

‘The (SBM’s) announcement is regrettable,’ says the press office of docomo, which has been rumoured to be negotiating with Apple. They say, ‘we are considering our direction’.

Which do they find regrettable, that SBM has announced or the agreement itself?

PS #2

♦iPhone will be supplied by SOFTBANK MOBILE!—MAC OTAKARA KANTEIDAN blog

It adds up that SBM has signed the agreement, considering that SBM has ran iPod campaign and that Apple Japan switched corporate mobiles to SBM’s.

(Translated by Harry; original post on 4 June 2008)