Softbank Corp. said Tuesday it will start selling the new version of Apple Inc.'s iPhone in Japan on July 11.
For Apple, the move is expected to establish it as a major player in Japan's mobile phone industry, while for Softbank the deal is expected to boost its brand recognition and help increase market share amid stiffer competition.
The new iPhone will go on sale the same day in 21 other countries and will be available in 70 countries worldwide later this year, Apple said.
Based in Cupertino, Calif., Apple unveiled on Monday a cheaper, next-generation phone that will run on third-generation, or 3G, wireless networks that enable Internet content to be delivered twice as fast as the previous model.
Apple has two 3G models — an 8-gigabyte version that sells for $199 and a 16-gigabyte version for $299, Apple said.
But the retail prices in Japan have not been set yet, a spokesman at Softbank said.
Softbank, the nation's No. 3 mobile phone firm, has been adding customers faster than its competition for 13 consecutive months.
