IPhone coming to Verizon

[LA Ute]

This is an interesting piece on the business aspects of the iPhone-Android wars:

Verizon Deal May Expose IPhone Flaws

[T]he Apple chief executive's fetish for form over function has its downside. Not everybody, it turns out, is indifferent to whether their smartphones can actually make phone calls. … Verizon Wireless could have snagged the original iPhone contract four years ago, but it passed. It did so not because of the iPhone's flaws, which were then unknown, but because Apple was insisting on terms that it could not accept. … The Apple-AT&T marriage has been a public relations disaster - for AT&T. Its network was quickly overwhelmed, in part because it was subpar, and in part because iPhone owners … used astonishing amounts of data: 15 times more than the average smartphone user … And what was Verizon Wireless doing? Taking full advantage of AT&T's problems to trumpet the reliability of its own network. Network reliability, in fact, became its core selling point …

[T]he success of Android is what finally pushed Apple into the arms of Verizon Wireless, which got much better terms than AT&T. When I asked a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless who was going to control the customer, she told me that iPhone users who were having problems would take their phone to the nearest Verizon Wireless store, not the Apple genius bar. Verizon Wireless does not appear to have promised the guaranteed subsidy, the way AT&T did. … Apple needed Verizon Wireless more than Verizon Wireless needed Apple. The deal the two companies cut reflects that fact. … Verizon Wireless insists that its network is up to the task of handling all that data its iPhone customers will be clamoring for. But clever developers keep coming up with new ways to use even more data than anyone ever dreamed of. … Another possibility is that the Verizon Wireless network will hold up fine but that the iPhone will keep dropping calls because of its own inherent compromises.

[falafel]

This is an interesting piece on the business aspects of the iPhone-Android wars:

Verizon Deal May Expose IPhone Flaws

Interesting bits in there. I wonder, however, how much of a hit Verizon will really take. When the iphone came out, there was nothing really like it. Now, 4 years later, ever carrier has an iphone-like device, at least in terms of data usage. And now, Android has a larger share of the market than Apple, so its not like Verizon is in the same position that AT&T was 4 years ago. Verizon already knows that today's smartphones guzzle much more data than the relatively dumbphones of 4 years ago.

[UteStar]

This is an interesting piece on the business aspects of the iPhone-Android wars:

Verizon Deal May Expose IPhone Flaws

Yeah, it has been rough for ATT in terms of public relations...but as a company, it is rockin' financially because of the iphone. I am not a fan of ATT, but they have made a killing off of the iphone. I also believe that competition is good and hopefully both companies improve as a result of 'sharing' the iphone.

[Uncle Ted]

Interesting bits in there. I wonder, however, how much of a hit Verizon will really take. When the iphone came out, there was nothing really like it. Now, 4 years later, ever carrier has an iphone-like device, at least in terms of data usage. And now, Android has a larger share of the market than Apple, so its not like Verizon is in the same position that AT&T was 4 years ago. Verizon already knows that today's smartphones guzzle much more data than the relatively dumbphones of 4 years ago.

I have to wonder as well. It seems that a lot of iPhone users are planning to move to Verizon if there is any truth to this survey:

Of the 4,050 people polled by ChangeWave days before the Tuesday announcement, 10 percent said they would switch providers in the next 90 days. About 16 percent of all AT&T subscribers said they will purchase a Verizon iPhone. Among those AT&T users who already have an iPhone, 26 percent will ditch the AT&T version for one from Verizon.

About 41 percent of all AT&T users will make the switch in the next three months, while another 31 percent will do so in the next year.

Among other providers, about 15 percent of T-Mobile users will switch to Verizon for the iPhone, 10 percent of Sprint users will do the same, while 4 percent of existing Verizon customers will switch from their current handset to an iPhone.

ChangeWave said these numbers represent the worst ever churn rate for AT&T that it has ever recorded. The main reason AT&T customers cited for switching providers is poor reception or coverage, at 42 percent. Another 27 percent said dropped calls, while 17 percent said cost.

It is interesting that 17% said they are switching because of cost but I haven't heard any announcements from Verizon on what they plan to charge.

[Uncle Ted]

Yeah, it has been rough for ATT in terms of public relations...but as a company, it is rockin' financially because of the iphone. I am not a fan of ATT, but they have made a killing off of the iphone. I also believe that competition is good and hopefully both companies improve as a result of 'sharing' the iphone.

Yes, AT&T currently dominates in the smartphone market thanks in a large part due to the iPhone. The last I read they enjoy nearly a 40% smartphone market share.

[TripletDaddy]

That article is misleading on one point. VZWs core message has always been it's network, not it's price. The iPhone did nothing to speed that up and certainly did not alter VZWs approach in the marketplace.

[Uncle Ted]

It looks like AT&T may be changing its plans as an attempt to keep its iPhone customers... by offering new pricing on text messaging? $10 for 1000 and $20 for unlimited. I am not sure how this is going to counter Verizon's unlimited data and free personal wifi/tethering they are offering.

[old_gregg]

It looks like AT&T may be changing its plans as an attempt to keep its iPhone customers... by offering new pricing on text messaging? $10 for 1000 and $20 for unlimited. I am not sure how this is going to counter Verizon's unlimited data and free personal wifi/tethering they are offering.

one can still buy non-unlimited texting plans? wow. that is silly.

[UteStar]

one can still buy non-unlimited texting plans? wow. that is silly.

I use up about 300 texts a month if I am rolling. Granted, 250 of them are from YOhio and DDD, but not too many texts. A neighbor kid averages out around 11,000 a month. Egads.

[TripletDaddy]

I use up about 300 texts a month if I am rolling. Granted, 250 of them are from YOhio and DDD, but not too many texts. A neighbor kid averages out around 11,000 a month. Egads.

As if.

The only texts you get from me are the following:

"Rejected. Recipient has blocked your phone number"

[UteStar]

As if.

The only texts you get from me are the following:

"Rejected. Recipient has blocked your phone number"

Whatevs.

I just received a text from YOhio that said 'Sorry about all the texting. You are totally awesome. Do you dislike DDD as much as I do? Stay in touch. OFTEN, OFTEN, OFTEN!'

I will clarify though, I checked my phone bill. YOhio texts me 107 times, on average, a month. But he leaves, on average, 37 voicemails a month. He also, usually, shows up un-announced on my front doorstep twice a month. All the way from Dayton.

DDD texts me, on average, 143 times a month. But it is usually pretty much the same every time: 'You were awesome on CUF today, good posting.' or 'What kind of shoes are you wearing today?' He leaves only about 9 voicemails a month on my phone. He does also send me letters.

Sorry for airing all of their 'dirty' laundry in public.

[Uncle Ted]

Verizon will have an $30/mo unlimited data plan (initially*):

It’s official: Verizon is going to offer iPhone buyers a $30 unlimited data plan. The carrier’s heir apparent and chief operating officer, Lowell McAdam, told us the news ahead of the company’s meeting with investors.

[...]

[*]But you’d better act fast. Speaking later Tuesday morning, Mr. McAdam said the iPhone unlimited plan will be a temporary offer and that the carrier will follow AT&T’s move to tiered pricing in the not too distant future.

Edit: Also add an extra $20/mo for that wireless hotspot feature.

[Uncle Ted]

Looks like it's going to be a good quarter for Apple...

Verizon breaks first day sales record with iPhone 4 pre-orders -- in only two hours

It took Verizon only two hours of having the iPhone 4 available for pre-order to break its all-time record for first day sales of a single device. That's in spite of the fact it only opened up pre-orders to its own subscribers and did so in the dead of night. To be clear, between 3AM and 5AM yesterday morning, more people ordered up the iPhone 4 than Verizon has been able to get through its doors on any full product launch day. Predictably, the carrier hasn't bothered to include the actual number of devices ordered up, but judging from the server issues it was having immediately after making the handset available and the subsequent shutdown of advance pre-orders, we'll go ahead and guess it was "a lot."

[LA Ute]

Part of me wants the Verizon iPhone. The other part wants to resist handing so much of my life over to Apple. What should I do, Obi-Wan?

[TripletDaddy]

Part of me wants the Verizon iPhone. The other part wants to resist handing so much of my life over to Apple. What should I do, Obi-Wan?

Admit that you went the wrong direction with android and then get the apple product.