Softbank denies iPhone rumors, kind of
![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YwnfJOCH7O7pc6EoWVKOWQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTQyMDtoPTQ4Ng--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/nzN2Fd138YNoH1OGL6XNKQ--~B/aD0yNTA7dz0yMTY7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/05/sillyiphone.jpg)
Following a weekend of stiff-drinks and intrepid mulling, Vodafone JapanSoftbank just went official regarding the supposed iTunes playing cellphone they are co-developing with Apple – officially denying it, that is. Well, kind of. See, our brethren over at Engadget Japan tell us that Softbank's response (in Japanese) to the claims made in that un-sourced Nikkei article are mere "speculation. The source is not us. We have nothing to say about it." Hmm, that sounds more like a plea to Apple not to kill the deal than a denial that they're in cahoots on the popularly dubbed, and oft speculated iPhone which is not pictured to the right.