Tuesday Apple Rumors: DoCoMo Deal Drives Japan iPhone Surge

by Christopher Freeburn | December 3, 2013 12:33 pm

daily apple rumors AAPL[1]Here are your Apple rumors[2] and AAPL news items for today:

Big in Japan: Last month, Apple (AAPL[3]) completely dominated the Japanese smartphone market[4], AppleInsider notes. According to industry research firm Kantar Worldpanel, iPhones comprised 76% of overall smartphone sales in Japan during October. The iPhone accounted for 61% of the month’s smartphone sales at NTT DoCoMo (DCM[5]), which began carrying the iPhone in September, after years of balking at Apple’s contractual demands. DoCoMo’s failure to carry the iPhone is cited as one reason the carrier has shed 3.2 million subscribers over the four years. Apple launched its new flagship iPhone 5s and less-expensive, but colorful iPhone 5c, in Japan on Sept. 20. The various versions of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c currently hold nine of the top ten spots[6] on a Japanese firm’s ranking of domestic smartphone sales.

Early Reveal?: An online advertisement made it briefly look like iPhone had finally arrived[7] on China Mobile (CHL[8]), Fortune notes. Late Monday, a website seemingly registered to a China Mobile subsidiary appeared to be taking pre-orders for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, catching the attention of media watchers. China Mobile — the world’s largest wireless carrier — does not carry the iPhone on its network. Apple has reportedly been in talks with the carrier this year and most analysts expect that a deal to bring the iPhone to China Mobile’s new LTE/4G network could be announced as soon as this month. However, China Mobile issued a statement on Tuesday denying that it had not yet reached a deal with Apple. The website offering the pre-orders has since disappeared. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are the first iPhones to feature chips compatible with China Mobile’s network.

Spaceship Robbery: Police have arrested a man suspected of stealing copper pipes and wiring[9] from the site of Apple’s new headquarters complex, CBS News notes. The 56-year-old man was taken into custody after security guards reported an open gate at the 176-acre location, which was formerly owned by Hewlett-Packard (HPQ[10]). Police found the man attempting to hide in some bushes. When he refused to come out, he was bitten by a police dog. Authorities located copper wiring and piping close to where the man was apprehended. The materials had been stripped from buildings on the site, which are scheduled for demolition. The was man booked for suspicion of burglary and possession of tools used for burglary. He was released after posting bail of $11,000. Construction on Apple’s new high-tech headquarters, whose sleek, circular design is described as looking like a spaceship, is expected to begin shortly.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors[11] stories.

Endnotes:

  1. [Image]: https://investorplace.com/hot-topics/apple-rumors-stock-news/#.Up4UIpG1Kf2
  2. Apple rumors: https://investorplace.com/search/?q=Apple+Rumors&searchsubmit=Search
  3. AAPL: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=AAPL
  4. dominated the Japanese smartphone market: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/27/apples-iphone-5s-5c-take-76-share-of-japanese-sales-in-october-including-61-on-ntt-docomo
  5. DCM: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=DCM
  6. hold nine of the top ten spots: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/30/apples-iphone-5s-5c-take-9-of-japans-top-10-smartphone-sales-spots
  7. briefly look like iPhone had finally arrived: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/12/02/apple-china-mobile-suzhou/
  8. CHL: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=CHL
  9. suspected of stealing copper pipes and wiring: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/12/02/arrest-made-in-copper-theft-at-apples-spaceship-campus/
  10. HPQ: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=HPQ
  11. Apple Rumors: https://investorplace.com/2012/04/hot-topics/apple-rumors-stock-news/

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