Japan's Softbank to accept iPhone 4 orders from June 15
Japanese mobile phone carrier Softbank on Tuesday said it will begin accepting pre-orders for Apple's fourth-generation iPhone on June 15 with the launch date set for nine days later.
But Softbank, Apple's exclusive partner in Japan, stayed quiet about the retail price and usage fee after the California-based company unveiled its new device on Monday.
The iPhone 4, which features video chat and a crisper screen, goes on sale on June 24 in Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States and will cost 199 dollars for the 16 gigabyte model and 299 dollars for the 32GB model.
The touchscreen smartphone, which comes in black and white versions, will be available in 18 other countries in July and 24 more in August.
The iPhone 4 includes more than 100 new features including a front-facing video camera to allow for video-conferencing between iPhones, an improved camera and battery and a screen with significantly higher resolution.
The iPhone 4 can also shoot and edit HD video. The 3.5-inch screen is the same size as previous models but features 326 pixels per square inch, four times more than the earlier iPhones.
Some analysts are sceptical of the amount of demand in Japan for the new gadget as all iPhone users in the country are still locked in two year contracts under Softbank.
The carrier has not disclosed whether there will be any early upgrade option.
The launch will come just over a month after the touchscreen iPad went on sale globally to scenes of giant queues snaking around stores. Apple said it has sold more than two million units of the device.
(c) 2010 AFP
