TMCnet News
Softbank, Apple to develop cellphones with iPod players: paper+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, May 13_(Kyodo) _ Softbank Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. plan to jointly develop mobile phones that have built-in iPod music players and can download songs directly from Apple's iTunes Music Store, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Saturday. Softbank President Masayoshi Son and Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs agreed on the tie-up in the Japanese mobile phone business, the business daily said. Handsets with built-in iPod players will be launched as early as this year, while those that can download songs directly from iTunes Music Store are expected to be put on sale next year, it said. Softbank acquired the Japanese unit of British mobile phone giant Vodafone Group Plc. last month. |