Apple iPhone No Longer Verizon's Bestselling Smartphone? [Update]

[odditie]

I have a co-worker that bought a new phone in January...when she was asked what she got she said a Verizon version of the iPhone...which of course meant it was a droid phone.

With that little knowledge about it and clearly evoking iPhone how could she not at least be aware of them selling an iPhone after working with a sales person?

 

[BC2009]

"Channel Checks" == shipments, not sales

When Verizon reports their numbers it will be interesting to see, but anything prior to that is an attempt to cheapen Apple stock so these analysts can buy it up before this quarter's earnings are announced.

 

[scottwaugh]

Our local Verizon store didn't even mention the iPhone when I went into the store to sign up for a plan; in fact, I had to ask them about the iPhone because they were only pushing Droids.

[Edit: There wasn't even an iPhone on display in the store.]

Wow, didn't even have iPhones on display, that's amazing hubris on Verizon's part.

Verizon definitely isn't a partner of Apple's. Verizon is lucky Steve isn't still around, he really reacted badly when folks tried to screw his business.

Like I said previously, had a relative go to Verizon recently to specifically get an iPhone and the sales staff actively steered her around to an android - to get an iPhone at Verizon you have to insist on it (and possibly not have one to play with). Amazing its still phone number 2 for them.

 

[jmnikricket]

iPhone sales are highly cyclical depending on where they are in their release cycle. Consumers are more educated than ever. Move along folks, nothing to see here...

 

[TheStoof]

They 'fought so hard' to get the iPhone, only to dump it? That doesn't seem to run counter to their idiotic management's history though...

It was to pull people from AT&T into a 2-yr contract. Those upgrading will be encouraged to try an Android.

 

[supmango]

The refresh cycle on the iPhone has lagged behind, but it still remains one of the best executed designs on the market. If iOS and the new iPhone don't make significant improvements over currently available devices running Android (regardless of how subpar Android is), it could spell disaster for Apple. The iPhone has to be made to set standards for well over a year ahead of its competitors.

 

[gpat]

The Nexus is a superior device to the Razr so the long battery life must be resonating with people (along with 4G). Too bad the Razr screen is garbage compared to the iphone and Nexus. Those poor eyes.

The screen on the RAZR may not be industry-leading, but it doesn't mean that it isn't still good for most tasks.

 

[MACdaddy859]

1. Um, Verizon salespeople are TRAINED to NOT LET ANY CUSTOMERS WALK OUT THE DOOR WITH an iPhone. Have any of you actually tried to walk into a Verizon store and purchase an iPhone? It is IMPOSSIBLE. I've tried it on 8 occasions, and Fortune Magazine documents this as well. It is IMPOSSIBLE to do so. Go ahead... I DARE YOU to walk into a Verizon store and try to purchase an iPhone.
2. Furthermore, Verizon salespeople make $75 commission on every NON-iPhone that they sell, but they only make a $5 commission on every iPhone they sell.
3. Verizon salespeople are BERATED by their managers and given WARNINGS if they sell an iPhone.

So it makes perfect sense that the iPhone isn't their best-selling device. This has been Verizon's plan all along.

WHY?

Because once people love the iPhone, they are loyal to the phone and not the carrier. The iPhone relegates Verizon to the dumb pipe that they are, and they don't like that one bit.

Sure, blame Verizon. I'm a grown A$$ man. At the end of the day I know which phone I'm leaving the store with. Stop making excuses. iPhone's are nice but everyone one in the world doesn't want an iPhone. I've had all of them and quite frankly I'm ready for a change. I still like my Apple products and have love for Apple but other great products DO exist. Apple didn't create man so some people need to stop acting like it

 

[jman240]

1. Um, Verizon salespeople are TRAINED to NOT LET ANY CUSTOMERS WALK OUT THE DOOR WITH an iPhone. Have any of you actually tried to walk into a Verizon store and purchase an iPhone? It is IMPOSSIBLE. I've tried it on 8 occasions, and Fortune Magazine documents this as well. It is IMPOSSIBLE to do so. Go ahead... I DARE YOU to walk into a Verizon store and try to purchase an iPhone.

8 times? Did you file a customer complaint? That seems a bit at odds with any sort of customer satisfaction type thing they might have in place.

 

[bearda]

The Droid has more features and almost half the price. There is not much to question there.

Half the price? Isn't a Verizon iPhone $199 with a 2 year contract? If the price was lower I wouldn't be surprised, but if the MAX is $299 with the same contract I'm a little surprised.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Our local Verizon store didn't even mention the iPhone when I went into the store to sign up for a plan; in fact, I had to ask them about the iPhone because they were only pushing Droids.

[Edit: There wasn't even an iPhone on display in the store.]

They are probably getting spiffs for selling Androids, hence they don't care about iPhone.
Also, think of this: their sales people were brainwashed at the begining, to believe the iPhone sucks and that Android is the best, turning them into Droidboys. They pushed the Android phones as much as they could since the days of the new iPhone. Now they can't say the opposite as they would be going against their own religion.

Either way, Verizon sucks in South Florida, so I could care less of what they do.

 

[boshii]

Apple should update their phones every 6-8 months. The 4S would have been better received with this life cycle.

 

[Caliber26]

You get a thumbs up. You are correct. When you compare the iPhone with the current model droids, the iPhone has fallen behind. Apple is a little over confident in my opinion.

I agree with ya. Apple better shake the ground this fall. Incremental upgrades aren't going to cut it when you consider all the different offerings from other manufacturers.

 

[MACdaddy859]

The refresh cycle on the iPhone has lagged behind, but it still remains one of the best executed designs on the market. If iOS and the new iPhone don't make significant improvements over currently available devices running Android (regardless of how subpar Android is), it could spell disaster for Apple. The iPhone has to be made to set standards for well over a year ahead of its competitors.

I can tell you now that the BETA version of ios 6 is basically ios 5, hopefully something different will happen by the time ios 8 is released.

 

[supmango]

It was to pull people from AT&T into a 2-yr contract. Those upgrading will be encouraged to try an Android.

As ignorant as this sounds on the surface, it makes good business sense. Its not about the device quality. Its about making money. Verizon pays less for an Android device, and therefore pays less in subsidy to the device manufacturer. More people on Android means more profit for the carrier.

 

[JBaker122586]

The Droid has more features and almost half the price. There is not much to question there.

Uhh... what?
Did you read the article above that said the Droid Razr Maxx is $299 with two-year contract?
The iPhone is $199.

Anyway, this report ONLY takes into account Verizon STORES. Which is about the only place you can get the Razr Maxx. You can get the iPhone at the Apple Store, which a large number of people do. Once you add in those figures, I'd wager the iPhone is still Verizon's best-selling phone.

 

[MACdaddy859]

i agree with ya. Apple better shake the ground this fall. Incremental upgrades aren't going to cut it when you consider all the different offerings from manufacturers.

+1

 

[unlinked]

8 times? Did you file a customer complaint? That seems a bit at odds with any sort of customer satisfaction type thing they might have in place.

I'm not sure I trust someone who claims it is impossible to buy the 2nd best selling phone. A lot of people seem to have managed.

 

[jonnyz]

Apple has been waiting for the Qualcomm MDM9615 to be produced in mass before they go to 4G LTE in the iPhone. This way, they can have the new chip's benefits of increased battery life and smaller die size. I commend this, because I know people that absolutely hate their 4G LTE phone's battery life and wish their phone was less bulky too (with the exception of the new RAZR MAXX on the bulk point).

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4925/why-no-lte-iphone-5-blame-28nm-maturity

"While the MDM9600 is built on a 45nm process, its successor due in 2012 is built on a 28nm process. Qualcomm's current roadmaps show the 28nm MDM9615 arriving in Q2 2012. The 9615 finds itself in a smaller 10x10mm package and is voice enabled as well. Apple (and all other smartphone makers) could replace the MDM6600 with the MDM9615 and have a "single chip" LTE solution for smartphones. I put single chip in quotes because there are obviously other components necessary such as a PMIC and in the case of the MDM9615, an external transceiver. But next year (Q2 to be exact) should be when we can finally get LTE into something iPhone-sized.

These modems are pretty power hungry DSPs, the move to 28nm should not only help reduce die size and allow for more integration but it should also decrease power consumption. Phones based on the MDM9615 will likely increase LTE battery life to reasonable levels rather than what we've seen from the first generation of devices. "

 

[bbplayer5]

I have the galaxy nexus and would never use another phone other than the iPhone.. Im not really sure why the MAXX is getting such rave sales.

iPhone 5 needs a UI revamp... its been nearly the exact same since its debut. Thats the thing that KILLS me. You cant make your phone look different than anyone else without hacking it.

 

[mattopotamus]

i will never understand people who complained about the 4s. If it had a new shape or bigger screen people would be jumping for joy. It got an updated dual core chip, better camera, siri. Basically everything a new phone should be. It still is faster than all of my friends phones

 

[rorschach]

People will buy anything if it looks cool. Apple has convinced the majority of consumers that this is what they need. They *NEED* an iPhone, not a Droid, so even if the iPhone lacks the latest technology, Apple hasn't told its consumers that they need the newest tech .

People look at the phones and decide what they want. You're right: not everyone cares about being on the bleeding edge.

I'd say 95%+ of people don't even know what RAM is, let alone how much of it their cell phone has. Same goes for CPU and megapixels and PPI and AMOLED, etc. I've worked in retail, and sold these things. The average person just doesn't know or care about that stuff. They play around with the phone and then buy whichever they "feel" most comfortable with.

The average person cares about benefits not features. They don't think "How many gigabytes of flash storage does this have?" they think "How many songs and pics can I put on it?" They don't think "What's the pixel density on this screen, and is it AMOLED?" they think "What does Transformers 2 look like on this thing?" If it works well and looks good to them they'll buy it regardless of what the "specs" say.

 

[ericrwalker]

I'd still take an iPhone 3GS over 95% of the rest of the phones out there. Mostly for one reason, I love iOS.

 

[MACdaddy859]

I have the galaxy nexus and would never use another phone other than the iPhone.. Im not really sure why the MAXX is getting such rave sales.

iPhone 5 needs a UI revamp... its been nearly the exact same since its debut. Thats the thing that KILLS me. You cant make your phone look different than anyone else without hacking it.

It needs a UI revamp BADLYYYYYYYY. and also quicker acess to Bluetooth and etc.

 

[applesith]

Double data (for 4G devices) yes. But I haven't seen a BOGO on the Maxx. Maybe the normal Razr.

My sister and brother-in-law got BOGO on the Maxx. That's the only reason they bought them instead of iPhones. It was a few months ago.