Softbank Corp. said Wednesday it has reached a deal with Apple Inc. to launch iPhone sales in Japan by the end of the year, further boosting the prospects of the nation's scrappy No. 3 mobile phone company.
Industry watchers were surprised by the decision because Apple usually selects the carrier with the biggest market share to sell the iPhone overseas. A spokesman for industry leader NTT DoCoMo Inc. declined comment on the deal.
More details on the agreement, including launch dates, pricing and exclusivity, are not yet available, said Softbank spokesman Kenichi Yuasa.