iPhone 3G S AT&T Exclusive: Verizon anyone?
Filed under: Cell Phone Information, Cell Phones | By: Peter Chubb
Posted on: June 10, 2009 | 22 Comments
When Apple announced the new iPhone 3G S during its WWDC 2009 keynote on Monday, we was not prepared for the shock that AT&T and had in store for its customers. Since current AT&T customers learned that they would have to buy themselves out of their current contract, as well as pay the full price for the handset, customers have been very angry.
While studying the price plans, upgrade price and handset price, it seems that AT&T are now taking its exclusivity with the iPhone for granted. This is now leading for more calls for Apple to open the iPhone up to other carriers, and Verizon would be the first choice.
AT&T exclusive deal with the iPhone runs out in 2010, and if Apple wants to keep selling these handsets, then they had better start to listen to who pays their wages, and that is the customer.
This is the same story in the UK, O2 has the iPhone exclusive deal with Apple and they are also taking advantage of the deal. It seems that these companies know that they are the only choice to have an iPhone on contract.
The new Apple iPhone 3G S needs to open up on to other networks and end the monopoly that they have on us. When it comes to having a Smartphone as popular as the iPhone, we should have a choice who we would like to have our contract with, not just one who can seem to pluck any price out of the air.
Who would like to see the iPhone expanded with more networks?
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I would love if it came to Verizon, but it won’t. Even if the contracted ended today, Verizon wouldn’t get it. Verizon uses CDMA the iPhone is GSM (what AT&T uses), and it would require that Apple completely redesign the iPhone (even if it looked the same on the outside, there are strict requirements for CDMA phones). Plus Apple would never let Verizon put their crappy software on the iPhone. There is a good chance the Pre will come to Verizon, so thats our best hope.
I jailbroke my iPhone because ATTs plans for 1 person cost more than what we have for a family plan on verizon, so I think that verizon should continue to work with their new 4G system so it can be fast with the iPhone if it’s supposed to be slow. What I like about verizon is that they give you reasonable prices and they are even more reliable than ATT. But Apple should go with both because it’s ridiculous to have to switch networks for a phone. So I pray that they go to Verizon in 2010 cuz otherwise verizon cuzcomers have to wait until 2012!
Why would they not join Verizon, it is the best damn carrier.
Being a Verizon customer myself, I would love to see the iPhone pair with Verizon, however one has to think about cause and effect. Right now AT&T has exclusivity with the iPhone and therefore they have the capability to charge whatever price they want and put any stipulations they want into the contract. If you want the iPhone bad enough and you sign the contract, then you agree to the stipulations and cannot break that without consequence. Furthermore, as an existing contract holder, you are not automatically eligible for an upgrade just because the phone gets upgraded. As with ANY other carrier, if you want a new phone and are out of contract, then you get a discount, otherwise you pay full price.
Back to cause and effect…
If Apple was to pick up Verizon as a carrier for the iPhone, either company could end up having to spend millions just to make the phone compatible with the network. Why would Apple want to spend millions on redeveloping an already great product simply to be compatible with a different carrier? On the other hand, why would Verizon want to spend millions to change their network when it is already faster than most other networks? It’s just not worth it to either company at this point to make the change. The fact is, there is no middle ground and as long as AT&T has exclusivity, people will have to live with whatever price and contract agreements AT&T throws at them if they want the iPhone. The only way us Verizon customers will be able to touch an iPhone any time in the near future will be to either switch to AT&T, or borrow from our friends. There’s no way around it.
First people with contracs sign them so honor the contract. Second iPhone uses gsm along with the rest of the world it would be smarter to have the iPhone on gsm so the don’t have to make several diffent models it saves apple money. And if AT&T stays excuslive past 2010 then wait for verizon to go lte which is gsm and then pay the high dollors for a unlocked iPhone.