Apple's iPhone is driving supporting mobile carriers into profit, seizing new customers at the expense of rivals, reports confirm.
Rogers Communications in Canada and Japan's Softbank this week both confirmed strong demand for the Apple device, with the Japanese carrier seeing a 1.9 per cent climb in September quarter net profit on strength of iPhone demand.
"The iPhone certainly supported our profit and boosted the number of new mobile phone subscribers during the quarter," a Softbank spokesman said. While the company declined to share actual sales figures, the company characterised sales as "very good".
Softbank's new mobile phone subscribers increased by 521,400 during the quarter, thanks partly to the iPhone.
Similar news from Canada, where Rogers Communications this week confirmed a sharp climb in profits on strength of demand for the Apple phone. Earnings climbed 84 per cent and revenue 14 per cent in the quarter, the company confirmed.
"Strong sales" of both the iPhone and products from Canada's BlackBerry where cited as cause. The company said it has activated 255,000 iPhones in Canada since July.
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(Reuters)
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