Softbank's 1Q Net Profit Surges 5-Fold On Strong iPhone Demand

 Softbank's 1Q net profit surges nearly five-fold to a record high

-- Softbank CEO says the company is on track to achieve on-year increase in both sales and profits

-- Softbank CEO says impact of its renewable energy business on earnings will be minimal

 
   By Juro Osawa and Kana Inagaki 
   OF DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Softbank Corp. (9984.TO) said Thursday that its net profit for the three months through June surged nearly five-fold as Japan's only carrier of Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone and iPad continued to enjoy solid revenue and a growing subscriber base even as rivals expanded their smartphone lineups.

Japan's third largest mobile carrier by subscriber numbers recorded a net profit of Y94.79 billion for the fiscal first quarter from April to June, up sharply from Y19.44 billion in the same period a year earlier.

"The solid growth in average per-user revenue and subscribers are behind our stable profits. I believe this trend will continue for some time," Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said at a press conference.

The popularity of Apple devices in Japan continued to underpin earnings at Softbank, whose business also includes Internet services. The iPhone and iPad have helped the carrier win new customers and generate more revenue from data transmission.

"The iPhone's strength is standing out the more people come to use smartphones," Son said.

Operating profit for the quarter rose 12% to Y175.83 billion from Y156.60 billion a year earlier, while revenue rose 9% to Y764.24 billion from Y700.84 billion.

The mobile phone and Internet service firm said its average per-user revenue for the April-June quarter declined to Y4,210 from Y4,290 a year earlier, but its data ARPU increased to Y2,440 from Y2,250, helped by iPhone users who generate more revenue from data traffic.

Rival KDDI Corp. (9433.TO), Japan's second biggest carrier, reported earlier this week that its April-June average per-user revenue declined 10% to Y4,640 from Y5,160 a year earlier.

As in the past, Softbank did not provide a full-year outlook, but Son said he is confident both sales and profits will mark an on-year increase. The company said there is also no change to its capital spending plans for the next two years.

He added the company's recent involvement in renewable energy business will not affect its finances and will have only a minor impact on its earnings.

Softbank reports earnings under Japanese accounting standards. More

Blind faith: 35% of consumers want iPhone 5, sight unseen

(WIRED) -- It's a testament to your brand name and image when a plurality of consumers are willing to buy your product without even trying it... or even seeing it with their own eyes.

A recent survey of close to 3,000 people found that 35% were willing to purchase Apple's next-gen iPhone when it hits the market.

Altogether, 2,852 consumers responded in the Experian PriceGrabber survey. Of respondents, 7% said they'd nab the iPhone 5 within its first week on the market, 14% wanted to get it within the first month, and 51% said they'd buy the iPhone 5 within its first year of release.

"Our survey data confirms the strong following Apple has built around its iPhone, with more than one-third of consumers planning to upgrade to the latest model only a little over a year following the release of the iPhone 4," said PriceGrabber general manager Graham Jones, in a press release.

Apple has nearly always had a cult following of loyal users, but in recent years, particularly since the release of the first iPhone, that devotion has spread. Not all may consider themselves "fanboys," though (and in fact, many will vehemently deny it).

The company's media events are heavily anticipated and product releases are swathed in rumor.

Almost 2 million iPhone 4 devices were sold its opening weekend, and when it hit Verizon, sales records broke in a mere two hours. With such a popular brand, and such a successful line of smartphones, it's not surprising that people can't wait to get their hands on an iPhone 5 -- even if they don't know what it looks like yet.

So what makes Apple such a desirable phone manufacturer that consumers are willing to bet on it, sight unseen?

One factor: Apple's well-curated, well-populated App Store presents consumers with a wide variety of quality apps to choose from. Other app stores still just don't stack up, either suffering from a lack of content, a lack of profit (for developers), the presence of malware, or sudden app removals.

If you've got a problem with an Apple product, Apple's brick-and-mortar stores offer a convenient, reliable way to get help or get a fix. Apple even has an app for its App Store, so you can easily schedule appointments if, for instance, your iPhone's home button suddenly quits functioning.

If you're planning on giving a phone as a gift, according to the PriceGrabber survey, you can't go wrong with Apple: 69% of respondents said they would prefer receiving an iPhone 5 as a gift over other upcoming smartphone models such as the Droid Bionic, Galaxy S II, or BlackBerry Curve.

With all this hype and anticipation, I would not be surprised if iPhone 5 sales end up blowing past sales records out of the water. More

GroHabit 1.0 Debuts for iPhone, Enhances Personal Development

Loveland, Colorado – Floating Radish, LLC today is pleased to announce the release of GroHabit 1.0. GroHabit is a new app for iPhone and iPod touch for developing positive new habits. Good habits can be hard to establish, yet are essential for reaching any personal goal, whether it be getting in shape, getting out of debt, losing weight, or becoming more organized. GroHabit lets users specify their own habit behaviors, track their progress, discover and overcome challenges, and strengthen their motivations. With GroHabit, beneficial behaviors can become helpful habits.

Recent research shows that it takes, on average, 66 days to turn a behavior into a habit. GroHabit keeps users motivated and focused during those 66 days. Its features include:

* Motivators – GroHabit collects and displays personally motivating text, audio, and photos, acting like a portable motivation board.

* Calendars – Easy-to-use calendars allow users to log when they’ve performed their behavior and record why they’ve skipped days. Calendars also let users know whether they’re performing their behavior frequently enough.

* Skill Focus – GroHabit analyzes the user’s recent performance, determines which of five habit-growing skills would be most beneficial, and focuses the user on that skill.

* Habit Score – GroHabit uses a unique, research-based Habit Score to indicate how habitual a behavior has become. The Habit Score is also motivational; users can see in advance how performing or not performing their behavior will impact their Habit Score.

* Daily Messages – Every day, GroHabit offers a helpful tip, displays a motivational message, or assigns a simple task. All messages are designed to encourage users and help them discover and reflect on their own personal motivations.

* Days Off – GroHabit uses a flexible “days off” system to accommodate behaviors that aren’t performed every day. Users earn days off when they perform their behavior and redeem days off when they skip their behavior. This allows for varying schedules, while ensuring that users always know whether they’re performing their behavior frequently enough.

“Two things are certain,” says Floating Radish, LLC founder James Huddleston. “Good habits are essential to personal growth and development, and the 66 days it takes to form a habit can be difficult to get through. I encourage anyone committed to personal development to find tools and techniques that help them through those 66 days.”

Device Requirements:
* iPhone or iPod touch
* iOS 4.0 or later
* 3.3 MB

Pricing and Availability:
GroHabit 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch is only $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and is available on the App Store in the Lifestyle category.

Floating Radish
GroHabit 1.0
Purchase and Download
Screenshot
App Icon
Media Assets

Floating Radish, LLC is an independent software development company located in Loveland, Colorado, USA. Founded in 2009 by James Huddleston, Floating Radish, LLC is committed to creating iOS and Mac OS applications that connect people with, rather than distract them from, their lives. Copyright (C) 2011 Floating Radish, LLC. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPod touch are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.  Read More