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Liquid Condensation on Your Smartphone? Why it Happens and How to Prevent it

Liquid condensation, a phenomenon where droplets form around a glass filled with a cold drink, or on windows during a cold or humid day, is a common sight in daily life. Did you know, however, that smartphones are also prone to condensatio…

SoftBank Corp. FY2023 Earnings: Exceeding Upwardly Revised Forecasts, Investing in Generative AI for Growth

On May 9, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 (FY2023). At the press conference held in Tokyo, Miyakawa said that for FY2023, revenue (6,08…

SoftBank Corp. Ranked in Top 10% for S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) was selected for inclusion in the top 10% of companies worldwide in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024. On April 9, 2024, the research and rating firm hosted an award ceremony in Tokyo where SoftBank rec…

Pioneering “Yahoo! BB ADSL” Broadband Service Brought to a Close After 22 Years of Service

In 2001 the red shopping bags shown above were distributed in cities across Japan and became a common sight. Each bag held an ADSL modem, which made it possible for consumers to connect to high-speed Internet using their existing home tele…

SoftBank Corp. Switching from Retail Bags with Plastic Coating to New Ones with 100% Recycled Paper

Since 2010, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been using high-quality paper shopping bags with a plastic finish at its ‘SoftBank’ stores and other retail outlets. The luxurious white bags displaying the ‘SoftBank’ logo have been a common si…

Exclusive to Japan and ‘SoftBank’ Stores: “Leitz Phone 3” Features Iconic Design and Innovative Photographic Options

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced that from April 19, 2024, the “Leitz Phone 3” will be available exclusively at select ‘SoftBank’ brand outlets in Japan. The newest and third smartphone to be fully supervised by Leica Camera AG – a c…

The End of an Era: SoftBank Corp. Closes Curtain on its 3G Services

As previously documented by SoftBank News, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), first launched its 3G services in Japan on December 20, 2002, through its predecessor J-PHONE Co., Ltd. After approximately 22 years of service, SoftBank’s 3G service…

SoftBank Corp. Launches Development Project in Collaboration with Microsoft Japan to Optimize its Call Center Operations with Generative AI

In March 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced it is aiming to further enhance its call centers for mobile, fixed-line and Internet communication services in Japan by using generative AI. To achieve this goal, it is launching a join…

SoftBank Corp.’s Vision to Build Infrastructure for an Unwired Society with 6G

While the latest global wireless standard 5G is still continuing to see adoption, 6G is not too far away on the horizon. But what is 6G? And how might it change the way we communicate and live? When the term 6G comes up, many might associa…

SoftBank Corp. Launches “Private 5G (Dedicated Type)” Service, Enabling Enterprises to Deploy High-speed, Closed 5G Networks

On March 13, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) launched its "Private 5G (Dedicated Type)" service that enables enterprises, local governments and other organizations to build customized 5G networks on their premises with dedicated base st…

SDGs Actions: Providing Connectivity from the Sky to Enhance Education in Africa

As a company that provides telecommunications and IT services as its main business, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) believes that contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only helps solve social issues in various situation…

How AI-RAN Can Transform the Telecommunications Industry in the AI Era

The formation of the AI-RAN Alliance, a new collaborative initiative aimed at integrating AI into cellular technology to further advance radio access network (RAN) technology and mobile networks, was one of the top stories of Mobile World …

Harnessing EdTech to Bring Educational Equality to Rwanda

The Republic of Rwanda has mandated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to accelerate its socio-economic development, and has already made significant progress in integrating it into its society. One symbol of the cou…

Institute for AI and Beyond Leads Discussions at AI House Davos During the World Economic Forum

2024’s World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting was held from January 15-19 in Davos, Switzerland, and this year’s program featured AI House Davos, a new initiative that brought leaders in industry, civil society, government, the investin…

Infrastructure and Governance for the AI Era: SoftBank Corp. Holds its First ESG Briefing

On February 26, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its first Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) briefing for investors. At the event in Tokyo, three SoftBank executives–Junichi Miyakawa (President & CEO), Masato Ikeda, (Vice Pre…

All Aboard! Studio Ghibli Supervised “APM Cat Bus” Set to Run in March

As reported earlier, in September 2023 MONET Technologies Inc.—a joint venture with SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), Toyota Motor Corporation and other Japan-based automotive manufacturers—Toyota Motor Corporation, Hoei Kotsu, Studio Ghibli a…

Harnessing AI to Transform Wireless: Industry Leaders Form AI-RAN Alliance

How can AI innovations be utilized to advance the telecommunications industry, and society at large? To address this challenge, leading technology, industry, and academic institutions came together at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on Feb…

Sit Down but Don’t Pedal: A New Mobility Option Comes to Japan

With its extensive network of rail lines, trams, monorails and buses, Japan is well known for having a wide array of public transportation choices. There is still room for improvement, however, and new and complementary mobility options to…

SoftBank Corp. Accelerates Generative AI Initiatives

As part of its long-term plan to build next-generation social infrastructure, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been making good progress on its initiatives to build a generative AI computing platform and develop Large Language Models (LLMs…

SoftBank Corp. Q3 FY2023 Earnings: Upward Revisions to Full-year Forecasts and Progress on Next-generation Social Infrastructure

On February 7, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 (Q1-Q3) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (FY2023). At the press conference he…

Water Tech Solution Brings Warmth and Hygiene to Noto Peninsula Evacuees

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been conducting various initiatives to restore communications on the Noto Peninsula following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck on January 1, 2024. Further to it…

How to Prevent the Risk of Hearing Loss When Using Headphones and Earphones

As people use headphones, earphones and earbuds with their smartphones more and more, some are likely to listen to music at high volumes while others may spend several hours each day with earphones in their ears. This kind of regular usage…

SoftBank Corp. Leads Global Efforts to Expand Spectrum Crucial to HAPS Services of the Future

From November to December 2023, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) was there representing Japan, along w…

SoftBank Corp. Joins Partnership with CelcomDigi to Accelerate Digitalization of Malaysia Enterprises

From left: SoftBank VP and Global Business Division Head Kimimasa Kudo, CelcomDigi CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi, Malaysia Minister of Communications YB Fahmi Fadzil and SC-NEX CEO Jun Okawara SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is actively pursuing bus…

Behind the Scenes: SoftBank Corp.’s Initiatives to Restore Communications on the Noto Peninsula

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, on January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and immediately after that SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been urgently working to restore comm…

SoftBank Corp. and Keio Research Institute at SFC Unveil Virtual Campus Built on Metaverse Platform

Keio Research Institute at SFC (KRIS) and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) established a “Digital Twin Campus Lab” in 2022 and have been collaborating on research and development of next-generation infrastructure, including Digital Twin techno…

SoftBank Corp. Working to Restore Communications in Quake-hit Noto Peninsula with Drone System and Other Means

On January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The earthquake and its aftershocks severely disrupted transportation, power and water supplies and communications. In response, SoftBan…

Visitors to Japan from 11 Countries and Regions Can Make Cashless Payments by Using PayPay’s QR Codes

2023 was a banner year for tourism in Japan as COVID-19 subsided and Japan re-opened its borders. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, visitor arrivals to Japan in December 2023 were 2.734 million, a record high for Decemb…

Energy Saving “Eco-Denki App” from SB Power Takes the World Stage at COP28

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), was successfully held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12, 2023. The Japan Pavilion, hosted by the M…

HAPS Alliance Holds First In-person Only Member Meeting to Accelerate its Mission of Connecting the Unconnected

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), which is developing a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) business to offer telecommunication services from the stratosphere, is also a founding and executive member of the HAPS Alliance, an industry associa…

How SoftBank Corp. is Enabling Safe Truck and Bus Platooning with 5G

In its research and development efforts to realize next-generation networks, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been actively researching Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technologies and working to implement them, as evidenced by a Bus Rapid Transi…

How BOLDLY’s Autonomous Buses are Revitalizing Japan’s Small Communities

Championing its concept of “a world where all things, information and minds are connected,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is placing priority on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To do this, SoftBank is working to solve so…

SoftBank Corp.’s HAPS Technologies Showcased at UN-hosted Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023

From October 8th to 12th, 2023, Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023 (IGF Kyoto 2023), the latest in a series of yearly forums hosted by the United Nations, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders to engage in dialogue on all is…

SoftBank Corp. and Cubic Telecom Team up to Redefine the Connected Vehicle Landscape

Technological advancements are transforming different industries, and the automotive industry is no exception. While mechanical hardware continues to be important, advanced software in vehicles is helping owners enjoy a better in-vehicle e…

“Smart Fleet” Vehicle Management Service Utilizes Technology to Prevent Drinking and Driving

It’s a sad fact that people still operate vehicles while intoxicated, and this continues to bring disastrous results for motorists and pedestrians. Japan is also grappling with this problem, and in an effort to prevent accidents, new legis…

SoftBank World 2023 Exhibition Features Latest Technologies that Utilize AI

For the first time since 2019, SoftBank World, SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) largest event for enterprise customers, returned as an in-person event in Tokyo in October 2023. From October 4 to 6, SoftBank World 2023 featured keynotes, pane…