Softbank

According to recent market surveys, Apple has become the top-selling phone manufacturer in Japan. The iPhone was the best-selling phone in Japan in 2012, allowing Apple to capture 15% market share. This puts them just ahead of Sharp and Fujitsu, both Japanese firms and both holding 14% of the market. Counterpoint Technology Market Research believes that the increase in iPhone sales was due to heavier marketing by KDDI and Softbank, Japan’s second- and third-largest carriers, respectively:

Sprint has disclosed that they're in talks with Softbank, Japan’s third-largest mobile carrier, about Softbank potentially acquiring of a large stake in Sprint. In a statement this morning, Sprint announced that the talks primarily regard a “substantial investment” in Sprint by Softbank, and a potential transaction could change who controls Sprint. Such a move would give Softbank an instant national foothold in the United States, and help Sprint financially. They would not be the first internationl carrier to come to the U.S. either. Vodafone, the second-largest carrier in the world, owns a large stake in Verizon Wireless, and T-Mobile is famously owned by Deutsche Telekom.

PCMag notes that Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son revealed in an interview with the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, John Roos, that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was working on Apple's next big product up until the day before his passing.

Following the awful earthquakes and devastating tsunami that hit Japan, it is good to hear that Japanese Cell Phone operator Softbank are offering assistance to children that were left orphaned by the recent disaster.

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son has announced via twitter that all earthquake orphans will receive free phones with all calling costs waived until they reach 18 years old. This offer is even extended to those on other networks such as DoCoMo. The generosity didn’t stop there; he also promised a free replacement for all lost or damaged iPhones due to the earthquake.

We say well done Softbank and in particular Mr Son!