Comments on: Why the iPhone Isn’t on Verizon

By: Louie

Louie — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 06:38:18 +0000

Well I am thinking that the limitation of supply that apple claims, this is actually a move wherein they are preparing for the CDMA Phones and limiting the sales for AT&T so once if they have the partners with Verizon this will create a big impact in marketing perspective and creating a scenario that apple will likely to be successful. That means win win for AT&T and Verizons having those phone exclusive for both of them and 60-70% increase rate of sales. Secretly buying time so that they can supply the demand and will go toe to toe with Big Boys!!!

By: Verizon Not Interested in iPhone 4, Pushing Android Smartphones Instead | Notebooks.com

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:35:57 +0000

[...] soon to be releasedÂ Droid X and Droid 2. As of now, Verizon says that it is not interested in the iPhone 4 — even if many of its customers [...]

By: Analysts Propose That the iPhone May Come to T-mobile Before Verizon | Notebooks.com

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:31:50 +0000

[...] recently shared my thoughts on why the iPhone isnâ€™t on Verizon. One of the major reasons is because the iPhone isnâ€™t currently designed with hardware that is [...]

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:54:47 +0000

I doubt that. Do you think that AT&T would just stop wanting to sell it's hottest phone, just because exclusivity ended? If they ended subsidies, that's what would happen (because you can bet that VZW wouldn't have a problem subsidizing it.)

Does AT&T do that with any other phone that goes non-exclusive?

By: benz145

benz145 — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:37:24 +0000

Don't forget that AT&T most certinaly wants to do anything they can to keep the iPhone as an AT&T exclusive. AT&T pays huge subsidies to make the iPhone affordable for it's customers. Apple definitely enjoys that part of their agreement, and AT&T would likely be unwilling to pay if Apple didn't keep the iPhone exclusive.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:27:52 +0000

My original comment had the beginning cut off...

I had written a longer explanation of the following two points regarding why I don't think Ben makes a good argument here.

1. Contracts are negotiated all the time. If Apple wanted out of an exclusivity deal, they could get out.

2. Apple almost certainly has a working CDMA iPhone in R&D. Would only be prudent for them to do so. Also, you wouldn't have to have GSM and CDMA in one - you could have them separate.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:25:16 +0000

If I had to throw in a hypothesis, I would say that it's much more likely that Apple and Verizon cannot come to terms that are acceptable to both companies. Both are notorious for their desire to control their products, and while Verizon has loosened it's grip a bit for Android phones, I'm willing to bet that there is some other sticking point (profit sharing, data plan details, etc) that is keeping this from happening.

Heck, it could even be over something as dumb as whether Apple will let another company put a logo on the phone (note that no iPhone has an AT&T logo…)

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:50:34 +0000

"Perfectly likely"? I'm one of those people who would get an iPhone tomorrow, early termination fees be damned, if it came to Verizon. I'd be surprised if Apple hasn't already done studies to figure out how many of me there are. Probably millions.

I understand the hardware and network limitations, but I would think that both Apple and Verizon have such a vested interest in carrying the iPhone that they'd be putting considerable effort into working those out.

Apple moves in mysterious ways, but it seems clear to me that the iPhone has succeeded in spite of, not because of, AT&T. If I were Jobs, I'd want to be rid of them as soon as legally possible.