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Apple releases iTunes 10.1.2 with support for 'CDMA model' iPhone 4
The description in Software Update may only say that it brings a "number of important stability and performance improvements," but Apple's just-released iTunes 10.1.2 update also adds another fairly important feature: support for the Verizon iPhone 4. That detail is tucked away in the "before you install" document included when you download iTunes from Apple's website (rather than Software Update), and actually only refers to the "iPhone 4 (CDMA model)," which you can read into what you will.
AT&T activates 4.1 million iPhones in Q4 2010
AT&T announced its quarterly earnings and confirmed that it activated 4.1 million iPhones in the final quarter of 2010. This number is down 1.1 million from the 5.2 million activated in Q3 2010. The wireless carrier posted its best-ever quarterly growth with the addition of 2.8 million net subscribers. Yearly, the company added 8.9 million net subscribers. The wireless carrier overtook Verizon Wireless as the nation's largest wireless carrier last year, with 95.5 million subscribers versus Verizon's 94.1 million. In its last pre-iPhone quarter, Verizon added only 955,000 subscribers, almost one third less than its rival AT&T. With the iPhone 4 slated to land on Verizon in February, the two carriers may jockey for this #1 position over the next few months. Tablets were also a strong performer for AT&T in Q4 2010. The carrier activated 442,000 tablets in Q4 2010, which include both the Apple iPad and Android tablets such as the Dell Streak and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Both the iPhone and iPad contributed to AT&T's 27.4 percent growth in wireless data revenues, up $1.1 billion from the year-earlier quarter. Looking ahead, AT&T expects continued subscriber gains and strong smartphone sales. AT&T admits that reliable projections may be difficult to make due to volatility from the Verizon iPhone. While iPhone activations may decline, the carrier expects Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone handsets as well as tablet devices, like the iPad, to pick up the slack.
AT&T posts Q4 financials, 2.8 million subscribers added, revenue up 2.1 percent year-over-year
AT&T's numbers are up, and they're good: $31.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, $653 million more than Q4 the previous year. 4.1 million iPhones and 442,000 tablets were put online by the company that quarter, helping to drive 2.8 million new wireless subscribers, 95.5 million total, and a boost in revenue per subscriber of 2.2 percent. That's $62.88 average per month per subscriber -- maybe ditching unlimited data is paying off. Additionally, the company posted its best ever Q4 wireless churn (subscribers switching carriers) of just 1.32 percent (1.15 percent postpaid), but we're thinking the launch of a certain smartphone on a certain competitor could possibly have that number increasing ever so slightly this quarter. We'll circle back in three months and see where things stand.
Verizon iPhone preorders will start at 3 AM February 3
MacRumors received an email from Verizon saying that the carrier will begin its preorder sales of the iPhone at 3 AM EST on February 3, just over a week from now. The February 3 preorder date is just for current Verizon Wireless customers who have their My Verizon account set up. Preorders are limited, so once they're gone, Verizon's preexisting customers will have to wait until the February 10 general sale date. MacRumors said that Verizon is allowing some AT&T iPhone customers to trade in their phones for credit if they make the switch to the Verizon iPhone. At the same time, AT&T is doing whatever it can to keep those customers. Trade-in prices, as listed by MacRumors, are: iPhone (16 GB - first generation): $60 iPhone 3G (16 GB): $105 iPhone 3GS (32 GB): $160 iPhone 4 (16 GB): $280 iPhone 4 (32 GB): $360
AT&T offering unlimited data to customers leaving for Verizon
An Associated Press report suggests AT&T is using an unadvertised loophole to entice long-time iPhone customers to stay with the wireless carrier. In this promotion, an AT&T iPhone owner that once had an unlimited plan in the past is eligible to switch back to this plan after a quick call to customer service. Unlimited data is no longer offered to new customers and was removed as an option when the iPhone 4 debuted last June. AT&T would not comment on this unlimited option, merely stating that "We handle customers and their situations individually, and we're not going to discuss specifics." Some customers were reportedly presented with this option when they called customer service and threatened to switch to Verizon. In these cases, this unlimited data option is not an unadvertised loophole but the standard practice of offering customers extra benefits when they try to cancel their service. AT&T may also be rewarding faithful customers by resurrecting this plan on a case-by-case basis. Verizon confirmed yesterday that it will offer the iPhone 4 with an unlimited data plan for $30 per month, AT&T would not want to lose long-term customers to a competitor's unlimited plan, especially when that rival is Verizon. Regardless of the reason, a growing number of individuals are reporting they have been able to switch back to an unlimited plan. If you may be eligible for this switch, take a few minutes to contact AT&T and see what happens.
Verizon feature phone users could boost iPhone activations by 19 million
Analyst William Power of R.W. Baird & Co. is making a bold prediction on Verizon iPhone sales. While other analysts and Verizon itself is predicting a conservative 11 million units sold in the upcoming year, Power is projecting a whopping 19 million in sales for the Apple-branded smartphone from feature phone users alone. This prediction is based on a survey of 1,000 people that was conducted to gauge the interest in the Verizon iPhone. Of feature phone users at Verizon, 11 percent said they would definitely buy the Verizon iPhone, while 18 percent said they would probably buy the Apple smartphone. Combined, this 30 percent could potentially contribute 19 million new iPhone activations for the wireless carrier. The survey also revealed that 25 percent of smartphone owners on Verizon will definitely or probably purchase the iPhone when it becomes available in February. This would add another five million activations and would bring the final tally to a whopping 24 million in sales. Powers does not take into account contract end dates, and not all of these 19 million feature phone subscribers will be eligible for upgrade in 2011. Even if you consider the worst case scenario of 2-year contracts and extend this 24 million over 2 years, these numbers are still impressive, especially for Apple. Apple will sell an additional 24 million iPhones, and Verizon will lock 24 million of its subscribers into new contracts. This 24 million estimate does not include customers from other carriers like AT&T and Sprint who may jump ship to snag an iPhone on the nation's most reliable network.
Personal hotspot for Verizon iPhone priced at $20 for 2 GB, order pages live on Apple Store
Update: Apple's order pages for the Verizon iPhone are live on the Apple Store, but of course you can't actually order a phone yet -- MobileCrunch suggests practicing your order process just for fun and to refine your plan selections. [Just kidding.] Verizon Wireless spokesperson Brenda Raney confirmed that the personal hotspot add-on for the iPhone will cost US$20 per month and will provide 2 GB of data. The personal hotspot feature will let you share your cellular data connection with up to five devices via Wi-Fi. This 2 GB of data is separate from the $30 unlimited data plan and is allocated only for mobile hotspot usage. You should watch your usage closely as overages will be charged at a costly $20 per GB. Rather than undercut its popular DROID lineup with a free mobile hotspot, the carrier decided to play it safe and offer iPhone owners the same rate as Android owners. Select Android handsets on Verizon include 3G mobile hotspot, and this service is billed at $20 for 2 GB of usage. Verizon does offer free mobile hotspot for the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus, but that plan was adopted to boost sales of those webOS handsets. Judging by analysts' expectations, the Verizon iPhone won't need that additional boost. Verizon may be the first carrier to offer personal hotspot on the iPhone, but it may not be last. Reports suggest the feature will be included in iOS 4.3 and will be rolled out worldwide. Similar to MMS in iOS 3.0, individual carriers will have the choice to enable this feature for its users. Now that Verizon has confirmed unlimited data and $20 personal hotspot, it will be interesting to see how AT&T responds. Any predictions? [Via Macworld]
Verizon ramps up trade-in, upgrade programs in advance of iPhone 4 launch
Not exactly a huge surprise here, but it looks like Verizon will be doing everything it can to pair folks with a new iPhone 4 when it launches on the carrier next month, even if they've just purchased a new phone on Verizon or another carrier. During an investor meeting this week, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo revealed that the carrier will be using its existing trade-in program (which launched in October) to lure would-be customers, with a Verizon rep further detailing that it will be "more actively" promoting the plan in the lead up to the iPhone 4 launch -- under that program, a 16GB iPhone 4 from AT&T will net you a $212 credit. In addition to that, Verizon is also rolling out a new "Special Upgrade Offer" that will let existing customers trade in a phone they've recently purchased for a Visa debit card ($200 for a smartphone trade-in, or $75 for a feature phone). Only those that have purchased a phone between November 26th, 2010 and January 10th, 2011 will be eligible, though, and you won't exactly get that cash right away -- you'll first have to first buy and activate your iPhone 4 at the full retail price, send in your trade-in phone within 30 days of activation, and then wait four to six weeks to receive the debit card.
Verizon confirms iPhone will get $30 unlimited data plan, we try to act surprised (update: WiFi tethering prices)
Hot on the heels of re-tooling its data plans Verizon is now confirming that the iPhone will indeed be eligible for the company's $30 unlimited data plan. COO Lowell McAdam told The Wall Street Journal "I'm not going to shoot myself in the foot," thus confirming what we already knew and showing his keen sense for both business and self-preservation. No comment on whether discontinuing the company's $15, 150MB monthly data plan will result in penetration wounds to any other appendages, but time will tell on that one. Update: As spotted by SlashGear, WSJ has posted an update indicating that the unlimited plan is a decidedly limited time thing, with tiered pricing to come in the "not too distant future." Intrigue! Update 2: And Macworld's confirmed that Verizon's iPhone WiFi data tethering pricing will be the same as all their other phones: $20 a month on top of your regular data plan, with a separate 2GB cap and $20-per-gig overage charges. [Thanks, Mike]
Universal iPhone bumper from Apple sneaks into Apple Store
In advance of the Verizon iPhone, it seems Apple realizes the old bumper won't fit. So they quietly stocked Apple Stores with a new, universal bumper where the hole for the mute switch has been enlarged just enough to accommodate both versions of the iPhone 4. Nice! We were wondering when this would happen, and it's a bit in advance of the Verizon iPhone actually being available. Let us know if you spot them in your neck of the woods. Thanks for the video and tip, Alex!
Universal iPhone bumper found in Apple Store, mute button gets more space (video)
We were wondering how Apple was going to handle two different button configurations for its AT&T and Verizon iPhones, and well, the solution couldn't be simpler. One reader visiting the Apple Store stumbled upon a bumper with a slightly different packaging. Thankfully, this intrigued him enough to pick one up and do a side-by-side comparison between this new "universal case" and the old first-party solution. The only change, since volume buttons are mapped identically between the two, is a slot for the mute button that's decidedly less mute. Definitely works with his AT&T model and should theoretically fit Verizon's model, too. Tough luck if you're making a move to Big Red and trying to bring an old case, but let's be honest... you'd be paying a pretty penny for the new device anyway, so what's a few more dollars for physical protection? Video comparison after the break. [Thanks, Alex!]
Verizon's iPhone commercial hits YouTube
Tick, tock. "To our millions of customers, who never stopped believing this day would come... Thank you." Oh, Verizon, you wry cad. Your iPhone 4 commercial is a gentle jibe at the anticipation and endless patience of those who would be among the first to own a new VZW iPhone. Ha! So witty. And not at all insanely annoying. Video is embedded in the second half of the post. [via Daring Fireball]
Verizon discontinues 'New Every Two' policy in the wake of the iPhone
Without much fanfare, Verizon Wireless has discontinued "New Every Two," a long-running promotion where anyone completing a two-year contract was eligible for a new or discounted phone if they signed on for another two-year contract. As of January 16, a few weeks before pre-orders would be accepted for Verizon iPhones, Verizon has changed its policy. Previously, anyone completing a contract would be eligible for either a new low-end phone or a credit ranging between US$30 and $100 toward the purchase of a new phone. Verizon has also changed its early termination policy, which once allowed customers with a two-year contract to bail after around 13 months. This has now been raised to 20 months. It's true that Apple mobile products rarely, if ever, enjoyed this perk on AT&T, but the timing of this policy change is a bit of a slap in the face for the 26 percent of current iPhone users expected to switch to Verizon once the iPhone becomes available. According to a ChangeWave survey, 41 percent of those potential switchers plan to switch to Verizon within the first three months of the iPhone 4's release on that network, and another 31 percent plan on switching within the first year. If you are an existing Verizon Wireless customer at present, you will be grandfathered in to the "New Every Two" program, but it seems that the timing is calculated to make sure that any switchers from AT&T will not have the opportunity for any sort of discounted phone. This and the fact that the Verizon iPhone will not be able to use the internet while talking on the phone may dismay people who are intent on switching -- me included -- but I'm sure that Verizon Wireless considers this a minor inconvenience for customers looking forward to using an iPhone on a network that (theoretically) will offer better performance than AT&T. We'll keep an eye out for other "gotchas" that Verizon may announce.
Talkcast tonight, 7 PT/10 ET: Verizon iPhone Edition!
Sunday can only mean one thing: Talkcast! Tonight we will have the episode we have been waiting to have since about an hour after the iPhone was announced exclusively on AT&T: Verizon iPhone! We'll talk about what to call it, what this means for the white iPhone and more. Since I am hosting this evening, there will be plenty to chat about in the Aftershow as well. Your calls and questions help us make the show the best it can be, otherwise I'm just talking to myself! To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 PM EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (yay for free cell phone weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk with you then!
Verizon was "never in the running" for original iPhone
Verizon CEO Ian Seidenberg sat down with Charlie Rose of Business Week and confirmed that Verizon was never in the running for the original iPhone. Though Verizon and Apple discussed the iPhone early on, Seidenberg claims that Apple was only interested in choosing one carrier per market and that carrier was AT&T in the US. AT&T was selected first because its network was GSM-based and compatible with other carriers worldwide. This revelation is contrary to the popular belief that Verizon was offered the iPhone first and turned it down. After a few years, Apple began to expand to alternate carriers in Europe, and Verizon positioned itself to be Apple's #2 pick when it was ready to branch out in the US. The carrier installed CDMA towers on Apple's campus and let Apple test out its CDMA technology. Seidenberg says this about Verizon's preparation for Apple, "when they (Apple) were ready to make a decision to add a second carrier, we made sure that they had a favorable impression." Now that Apple and Verizon have come together to offer an iPhone, the next evolution, according to Seidenberg, will be in LTE. The wireless carrier is ahead of AT&T in LTE deployment, and Apple will benefit from Verizon's advanced position. Seidenberg notes that Apple gets "to establish a relationship with us early in their cycles to take advantage of the 4G stuff that's going to come out over the next 12 months." It's not a confirmation, but Seidenberg's comments strongly suggest the next generation iPhone for Verizon will include LTE connectivity. [Via AppleInsider]
A brief and anecdotal history of the Verizon iPhone 4 deal
It's time to start penning the epilogue to the story of how Verizon and the iPhone came to be happily betrothed yesterday. We've already heard a good deal about how the last suitor failed to live up to expectations, but this report keeps the focus predominantly on the newlyweds and their courtship. The agreement came last year and was brokered by Verizon President Lowell McAdam and Apple COO Tim Cook, with input from CEOs Ivan Seidenberg and Steve Jobs (naturally), and though the commercial aspect only took about a day, the preceding technical hurdle was a six-to-nine months ordeal. That entailed putting Verizon cell towers at Apple HQ to check signal and avoid reliability troubles, as well as having Verizon's Executive Director of Technology David McCarley work in Cupertino for more than a year. As for the rest of the deal, both parties agreed to share inside knowledge (Verizon's network plans for Apple's device plans -- wouldn't you like to know) and Verizon had to agree to a logo-free device. Which, given the sure-to-be mindblowing sales, probably isn't a hard pill to swallow.
The Daily Show takes on the Verizon iPhone
While the tech world debates both the merits and the shortcomings of the Verizon iPhone, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart and John Oliver used the occasion to do some good ol' AT&T bashing. They celebrated the announcement of the Verizon iPhone with a rousing chant of "Freedom!" and poked fun at the dropped calls that plague iPhone owners on AT&T. The pinnacle of the seven-minute skit occurred when a band of frustrated iPhone owners trampled an AT&T sign. You can enjoy watching the segment in its entirety after the break. The video comes straight from The Daily Show's website, which uses Flash; sorry!
iPhone Personal Hotspot feature headed to all iPhones in iOS 4.3?
So, by now you've had a chance to digest the fact that Verizon's getting the iPhone, right? A standout from yesterday's news is of course the iPhone Personal Hotspot feature that those lucky red devils are being treated to. Hopefully the rest of us won't have to remain envious for to long, though -- BGR says its sources have confirmed that that feature is headed to all iPhones once iOS 4.3 lands. The word is the OS version with this shiny treat will be 8F5148B with a baseband version of 04.08.00. Of course, your carrier is likely going to have to be on board, a-la tethering support, but once that dust settles not only will you be able to tether your device, but your friends will be able to join in -- and rack up your data usage, too. So sit back, relax, and all will be revealed if and when this bridges the gap between rumor and reality.
Simultaneous voice and data: there was an ad for that
Who remembers the great carrier wars of 2009? Yes, back before Apple and Verizon became best buddies who worked together for years to create the ideal iPhone experience for VZW customers, Verizon was aiming for the jugular with the "There's a Map For That" and "Misfit Toys" ads poo-poohing AT&T's network coverage. In fact, things got so tense that AT&T and Verizon sued each other over the claims in those blue and red ads. Now that everyone's friends again, we've pointed out the fact that Verizon's version of the iPhone, like all the other phones on its CDMA network, will not support simultaneous voice and data; this despite the rumors from last summer that the carrier would roll out VoRA technology to do exactly that. More than a few readers and Twitter followers have said "Who cares? I don't use simultaneous voice and data, and I can't see why it matters." The answer to "who cares," at least if you go back to late 2009 and the VZW/AT&T caterwauling, is Apple's marketing team. Let's set the Wayback Machine to this delightful iPhone ad, visible in the continuation of this post, and think about sending email while we chat and ordering flowers during a call. Yes, apparently those who cannot remember the past actually are doomed to repeat it.
Why I'm staying with AT&T
With all the excitement over the Verizon iPhone announcement, I'm not sufficiently moved to make the break. I admit, AT&T has been sloppy and at times downright incompetent. Who can forget the massive foul up when the first iPhone came out and literally millions of customers couldn't get AT&T servers to sign them up? It happened again with the 3G iPhone and the iPhone 4. There's the really nasty rate of dropped calls, lousy or inconsistent reception, and how AT&T always seemed to put endless roadblocks before developers who wanted to use the iPhone in the way it was designed. Months of delays on the SlingPlayer app, no Wi-FI tethering, and more delays delivering a 3G tethering plan that was overpriced and forced you to give up your unlimited data plan. Oh yes, AT&T dropped unlimited data so it could start enabling some of those features that might force you to go over AT&T's newly imposed limits. Nice. The list goes on and on. Still, I'm staying. Here are my reasons: Big Fee to drop my AT&T plan. Way too much. $325 for those who purchased after June 1, 2010, and $10 off of that for every month of completed contract. Coverage. We all know that AT&T coverage is generally worse than Verizon, but AT&T ponied up and let me have a MicroCell device for free. It solves the 'no coverage at home' problem, and after some initial growing pains it works well Competition is good. I expect AT&T to step up and compete, not because they want to, but because they have to. Maybe there will be a reinstatement of unlimited data plans. Maybe FaceTime will finally work on 3G. Simultaneous voice and data are huge. I often fire off an email or web link when I'm on the phone. Going to Verizon means I kiss all that goodbye. Speed. At least here in Arizona, I get really fast data on the iPhone. Yes, the Verizon voice network is more reliable, but in local side by side tests on the data side, my AT&T phone really is faster than a Verizon smartphone. New iPhones. There will likely be a new iPhone this summer. I expect it will be a lot easier to talk AT&T into an upgrade than Verizon.
