It's a little silly just how hush-hush this whole
iPhone-AT&T exclusivity agreement has been, but now it sounds like it just might be next century before any of you CDMA loyalists are able to indulge in the App Store. According to a fresh report in
The Wall Street Journal, people "familiar with the matter" have suggested that AT&T is feverishly working to extend its exclusive agreement to carry the iPhone in America until 2011. Last we heard, the deal was stretched out
through 2010, and considering just how many new subscribers are flocking over solely for this phone, can you really blame the guy for wanting another dozen months of bliss? Not surprisingly, an Apple spokeswoman had more to say about her personal life than on these rumors, but if you were really banking on snapping up a Verizon-branded iPhone at the end of next year, you should probably ask someone to blast you with a giant fire hose of reality.
[Via
HotHardware]
posted April 15th 2009 11:39AM
I heard that 6 months ago with the Bold. I would actually wait until I have one in my hands before being that happy!
What we don't see is the effect that this would have on the iPhone price and network reliability, if multiple carriers in the same markets begin to carry the handset they would be forced to distinguish their service or phone from the others. The only way to distinguish service would be to reduce price or increase features, given that the iPhone lacks nothing if not features I would say the price war both in terms of cost of service and cost of handset are left as the only options. Neither of those options would be beneficial from Apples point of view, they want these carriers charging mucho mula so they will develop the kinds of networks that will support their phones successfully and Apple definitely does not want to be forced into taking a reduced cut from each handset as they use this cut to develop amazing cash reserves to buy companies that allow them to introduce new features/services. It all comes to brand dilution, just look at Moto and the RAZR the device was allowed to go on all networks and while this drove sales it reduced price and thus profitability per unit and when everyone from your teacher to your grandma suddenly had a RAZR nobody wanted a RAZR.
For now, I'm content with my HTC Touch Pro, WMWifiRouter and an iPod touch. I get to keep the functionality (assumed) of Windows Mobile, the cheaper and better-featured Sprint Simply Everything Plan, reliable cellphone service when I need it, fast EVDO Rev A speeds, while maintaining my lust over Mobile OSX, App Store applications, and multitouch goodness.:D
The other thing I don't miss from my iPhone 3G is having to remove the auxiliary cable everytime someone calls when I'm in the car.
Oh I forgot. AT&T sucks.
Looks like the phone carrier equivalent of the DMV has got CrApple fans by their tiny unused balls for another 2 years maybe.
just trying to log in, ignore my comment
fast ev-do rev a? hahahahahahahahaha
us in the HSDPA world are up to 7.2mbps...now THAT is fast.
Apple, wise up. Seems like this is AT&T asking Apple. If that's the case, force them to sell the iPhone unlocked regardless of subsidy/contract, just like other countries. Provider locking is a backward idea.
Issue is not really about one carrier over another. Doesn't really matter which one it's on (except maybe T-mobile). Consumers should just have the ability to have options. I happen to believe that AT&T stinks at least in my area, but all the carriers suck in one location or another. I think that customers would be less apt to complain if they at least they felt they had the option to move to another even if they don't exercise that option. So it'd be a good PR move for Apple..and would help them take over the world at an even faster clip.
Don't "through 2010" and "until 2011" mean the same thing? Maybe their exclusivity isn't extended as long as has been thought. Maybe they're working feverishly right now because of this giant announcement coming in... is it June? Perhaps Apple's unlocking it? Hasn't there been some talk of a basic model iPhone?
Everybody knows that the biggest flaw with this phone is the network it runs on. Apple knows it, at&t knows it. If you think Apple would seriously keep this exclusivity agreement any longer than they need to then "you should probably ask someone to blast you with a giant fire hose of reality".
Look at it this way: Apple already has their "base" set for this device, verizon has a huge customer base AND is rolling out LTE (as well as AT&T). Why the hell would they would only limit this to one network anymore, and forgo all those extra customers and their money?
ok another bottom line comment .,
say every single cell carrier in usa starts selling iphone tomorrow.,.,sprint,verizon,att,tmobil,heklio,boost,virgin,metropcs,cricket,etc.,seriously think about this.,what would happen to windowsmoblie,bb,nokia,lg,htc,samsung handsets here in america.,?answer
they would cease to exist.plain n simple.,.,so do it apple kill every major handset manufacturer here in america.,do it steve pull the trigger.,drop the bomb on these muthas.,they asking for it.SHANK THEM
Im not sure if anyone has said this, but i don't plan on reading through all the comments. In terms of the cellular phone market, i think is one of the most closed off, poorly run services in the country. Competing technologies such as GSM and CDMA only hurt the consumer in terms of choice of a device that fit their needs. Cellular service providers need to consolidate on a network (most viablely GSM) that will allow complete portability between networks and avoid locking the basebands down to a certain carrier. YES all this protection and competing technologies have helped keep prices of handsets down, but i dont think a carrier would suffer. Contact discounts can still be offered to those who remain loyal to a carrier, but i do not think its fair that in order to get a blackberry storm for example, i have to switch to vzw. If i am happy with my ATT, T-mobile, Sprint, etc, network. I should be able to walk into vzw, buy the phone at full price, pop in my sim card and enjoy. The Company is still making on the markup of the phone, and in the end everyone is happy. Companies like apple lose out on consumers loyal to other networks, which in all honesty is unfair both sides. Brands like RIM, Samsung, LG, etc have been able to saturate the market with models for carrier, but the phones will always differ in ways that will not completely satisfy the consumer. Standards should be set and maintained by organizations like to ieee. Hopefully 4G LTE will bring about some action. Just like a consumer is able to chose their ISP, plug in whatever brand router they want, and connect to it wirelessly to any device supporting the technology. I should be able to buy my blackberry (insert catchy noun/ adjective here) Use it on my favorite network, and pay for the service i deem most reliable, not the one I'm forced into because of a handset.
That guy was totally looking at it going whats that piece of shit.
lol @ anyone who thinks that offering the iPhone on as many carriers as possible could possibly be a bad move for Apple.
YES, moto did it with the razr, but guess what? The razr had nothing going for it, save for the fact that it was "thin". The iPhone, on the other hand, is Jesus incarnate.
The thing to remember is that Apple didn't go to AT&T, they went to Cingular.. and at the time AT&T was pretending they were broken up so they could buy SBC. The buyout went on "behind" Apple's back to some extent.. to the point they actually had the marketing materials printed with Cingular before the big roll out.
AT&T may have the exclusive contract, but they're not really doing any marketing of their own for iPhone, iPhones weren't that prominently displayed or even available at all the AT&T stores for most of the first year. Apple did most of the work to develop the back-end software and Apple had to step in for customers to get good pricing to USE the phone like it's intended. AT&t having iPhone was more of a "lucky accident" for them than a real business partner, they're not stepping up with any real services or perks beyond what Apple is forcing them to do... and they're still out there advertising other phones and new features all the time... not exactly stunning partner behavior. Apple would be better served with somebody that will give them "front n center" attention and do some developing along with Apple.
Like other posters have said, AT&T could offer it's wireless video and other services to iPhone customers via the App store. There's many AT&T services other smartphones have, cut-off from the iPhone for no good reason. iPhones aren't "real" AT&T phones either. I'm sure some slowness is because Apple wants total control of the platform, but just walking into an AT&T store to inquire about an iPhone feels like they could really care less if you were there or not.
"and at the time AT&T was pretending they were broken up so they could buy SBC."
Wrong. SBC (which owned Cingular) actually bought the struggling AT&T and renamed itself at&t. It was actually a pretty cool case of the spin-off company (SBC) growing larger than its parent company (AT&T) and eventually reforming the parent company.
"AT&T may have the exclusive contract, but they're not really doing any marketing of their own for iPhone, iPhones weren't that prominently displayed or even available at all the AT&T stores for most of the first year."
No. I'm pretty sure, given the control-freak that is Apple, that they wanted to market the iphone themselves instead of having at&t botch it up. Marketing it independently of other at&t phones also helped the iphone distinguish itself from other handsets. There were many concessions from at&t so that they could obtain iphone exclusivity, and this is probably one of those.
"Apple did most of the work to develop the back-end software"
I don't know what back-end software they developed, but if there was, who else would do it?
"AT&t having iPhone was more of a "lucky accident" for them than a real business partner, they're not stepping up with any real services or perks beyond what Apple is forcing them to do... and they're still out there advertising other phones and new features all the time... not exactly stunning partner behavior."
Again, it is well known that at&t had to give major concessions to get the iphone, so they probably already realized the potential of the iphone when they made the deal with apple (unlike verizon, which apple approached first). at&t also has dozens of other phones, but you're saying that just because of one phone they shouldn't advertise the dozens of other phones, which, if combined, accounts for the vast majority of at&t's revenue?
"Apple would be better served with somebody that will give them "front n center" attention and do some developing along with Apple."
True, Apple would be better served, but that would be any cell manufacturer as well, so I don't get why that would be important. Also, Apple doesn't need "front n center" attention to sell the iphone, since I'm sure everyone and their mother knows about the iphone. Finally, you must be delusional if you think Apple would tolerate another company developing along with them.
I think Verizon or any other non-AT&T provider would be stupid not to try and bring the iPhone to their networks. And Apple would be stupid not to pursue a deal with as many carriers as possible and proliferate their device.
All the cons I've heard about the iPhone so far are mostly on AT&T when you think about it. Lack of tethering? Apple says they support it, AT&T won't provide it. Dropped calls? AT&T. Outrageous 3G bills/overseas usage charges? Again, AT&T.
Plus, here where I am in Seattle, studies have shown Verizon to be the most cost-effective and reliable carrier. Hell, even Sprint & T-Mobile have bested AT&T's coverage in some cities from the consumer reports I've read.
Despite all the software revisions and advances Apple is making on the iPhone, I think to some extent, AT&T exclusivity will always hold them back.
I HATE Verizon as a company, but you cannot doubt their coverage. But a business is a business, and so they'll do what they do.
But I'll put money on the fact that Verizon has learned their lesson (solely when it comes to the iPhone) that if Steve Jobs comes and wants to bring the iPhone over, they'll let him do what he wants.
There so much frustration about this potential deal in all of the comments threads. There's already a facebook group started called "Apple, Don't Extend Your Exclusive Deal With AT&T."
I completely agree with the idea that this is competition inhibiting.
I would seriously consider an iPhone - but will never use AT&T again. Right now I am looking at what palm is going to do for my next smartphone.
Psst, hey Apple,
AT&T sucks, so when you want my money, get yourself a better network
I'm one of the few dozen Sprint customers who actually like Sprint. If the iPhone were available on Sprint, I would have bought the first gen and the 2nd gen and whatever gens after that. Instead, I continue updating my Treo. I guess the Pre is next!
iphone..ATT.......zzzzzzz, .... but what's going on with that guys pants?????
As an owner of AAPL I hope that's not going to happen. No matter what AT&T is offering - and I am sure they are offering unheard-of perks to Apple - the exclusivity deal was the single biggest mistake Apple made in selling the iPhone.
If "the plan" doesn't work, Apple will sell way fewer handsets than otherwise. If it does somehow work and all smartphone users switch to ATT then ATT will get so powerful they will command the terms of the next exclusivity arrangement. Either way, Apple loses.
All exclusivity deals must go. It's best for the customers and as any wise business knows what's best for their customers is also best for them.
AT&T may have good coverage & decent plans, but their customer service sucks. Wish iPhone could be added to another service- maybe then if users flock to another company, AT&T might consider upgrading their customer service.
"I'm sorry, please hold" - "I don't work in that department, I can't help you" - "I'm sorry, I don't know why you were transferred 6 times".
It's why they have over 3000 complaints with the Calif Public Utilities Commission and over 1800 with the Better Business Bureau.
Get it together AT&T - Apple, put some pressure on 'em.
I'd love for Sprint to go iPhone - finally an alternative to the crap HTC phones. I'm not against WM by any means - I'm just anti HTC. I'd prefer a Toshiba TG01 over the 3rd gen iPhone but I'd rather have EITHER than another HTC brick with crappy battery, the girth of a brick, bad BT and crappy radio which makes it go from 3 bars to call lost while sitting at your desk.
Apple:
Do not extend!
Put the iPhone on verizon. The covorage is better, and so is the customer service. Verizon is even going to be the first with 4G. So why not choose verizon with even the biggest 3G network. My grandpa got an iPhone and switched from verizon to AT&T and said he had to return it cuz he did not get covorage at his house. So he swtches back to verizon and gets a blackberry.
You will not have my money until it is on Verizon.
(I have never dropped a call on verizon yet in the 3 years I had them.)
If AT&T are smart, they would be building towers as fast as they can in all the areas where "Verizon is better than AT&T for coverage". There is absolutely no reason why AT&T couldn't beat Verizon and Sprint and give all those people who are stuck on CDMA because its all that works for them a choice.
Would make AT&T a fortune in new connections from customers who hate Verizon and want to be able to buy a unbranded phone and use it.
Darren exhibits his Apple fanboyism and incompetence in one strike: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/15/video-chryslers-iphone-like-dashboard-makes-your-car-look-lame
*yawn*
Ack! I realize AT&T doesn't have a monopoly on cell service, but for iPhone fans, they may as well have one!
I wish the iPhone would come to other carriers so AT&T would be more competitive with their data plan prices (have it include text messages, for one), and their upgrade policy; When I got the iPhone 3G after only having been with AT&T less than a year, AT&T charged me the unsubsidized price for the phone, but still required me to sign up for an additional two-year contract! Lame!
I agree with an earlier poster - iPhone will come to VZW when LTE is turned on in major cities - sometime in 2011!
Please God, NOOO!!!!!!1
Please, God, NO!!!! at&t is the worst provider I have used. I have switched for the iPhone and at&t has turned my 3G iPhone into an iPod Touch! Worst service, no bars in my own home, and when I call to complain the reps all say that I need to download some app from the App Store to give me a signal, even though another rep confirmed that my house is 'just outsided of our coverage'. What a joke. If Apple opened up this phone to other companies, I don't beleive that at&t would last much longer. Trust me, if you do not want the iPhone, do NOT got to at&t.
FREE??? you Drive, a Hard bargain!
please don't.
"but now it sounds like it just might be next century before any of you CDMA loyalists are able to indulge in the App Store"
...Who cares?
Why do people constantly blow their load over this phone? Especially with the phones coming this summer that ALL have better specs (N97, Omnia HD, TP2, TD2, G2, the list goes on). Oh well, the more itards carrying around these phones the more I will be able to show off my phone that DOESN'T suffer from a worthless camera, no vid capture, low resolution, piss poor vibrate and speakers, and so on.
Who cares, the Palm Pre is launching within the next two months and will be better than the iPhone!!!