You want sleek and unobtrusive? Then you should support Apple buying AT&T since Apple would make it so that you wouldn't even care about what network you are running on, just that you are using an iPhone. Apple already has all your contact and credit card info and the monthly charges would just show up on your iTunes account. When you buy an iPhone, there will be no hassle in deciding what network you can run on or even to consider. It simplifies the experience and focuses it on the iPhone.
OK. Say Apple does buy AT&T, it would also seem likely that Apple would then renege on having VZW as a carrier since they would then be direct competitors. Or say they continue to allow VZW as a carrier but force them to pay some type of major royalty fees to have the iPhone which VZW would then be compelled to pass on to the customer. Thus putting VZW iPhones in an even higher tier of pricing, out of reach for even more people.
So in effect, a merger of Apple and AT&T would cause either VZW customers to lose their service or pay much higher fees. Plus areas not serviced by AT&T would effectively lock out any potential customers from owning an iPhone, creating more unhappy customers who would otherwise purchase an iPhone on VZW or AT&T.
That is counterproductive to sales.
Let's add in that a merger or buyout would have to be regulated by several federal agencies, SEC, FCC, FTC, Justice Department etc... That's a lot of fees, applications, proceedings, meetings, lawyers and so on. Then there would be the anti-trust factor too.
It all sounds like way too much of a headache and not worthwhile for Apple or any tech company aside from another phone company to buy a phone company.
A more plausible solution would be for Apple to create their own cellular phone service division, rather than buy an existing major one such as AT&T.
Oh, and what would Apple do with AT&T's landline and long distance divisions?
Oh, and one more thing.... IF Apple did buy AT&T, I can foresee a whole lot of people losing their jobs, as a company takeover would evaluate and streamline the newly acquired company. That's a standard practice in business. While from the business aspect, streamlining is great, but from the labor perspective, it would be bad news for many. Lord knows, AT&T probably could use some major streamlining to become more profitable and cost-effective.
But I am curious as to why you are so adamant about this topic. One cannot seriously believe that this would ever happen.
