Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

AT&T iPhone Exclusivity Originally Scheduled Through 2012

theheadguy said:
They don't need to take over the world, they just need a small slice to pay them a lot of money;
Click to expand...

Why not have a bigger slice to pay them a lot of money?

Given your argument, we never would have seen an iPod for Windows, and we wouldn't see iPods and iPhones being sold at Walmart.

theheadguy said:
They don't need the straggling few who refuse to switch from V.
Click to expand...

Straggling few??? I know a lot of people who would buy an iPhone on Verizon tomorrow if it were offered.

theheadguy said:
If they were worried about this, they wouldn't have signed a 5-year agreement!
Click to expand...

I'm sure they only signed the 5-year agreement because AT&T was the only carrier willing to cede control of the device to Apple. No Apple control = no iPhone (and subsequently no flexibility of carriers on other devices (like Android) that we're seeing right now).

The iPhone changed everything in the mobile industry (despite what the deniers will wail), but it only happened because AT&T was willing to cave. The long-term contract was certainly the carrot on the stick.
 
hayhay said:
It cracks me up when I read people bitching about AT&T's service...I've been an AT&T customer since before the Cingular merge and I have nothing but good things to say about them...I guess I'm just lucky and live in an area that has ample signal. IMO it's iPhone envy that causes most of the belly aching. But if you dislike the service sooooo much...leave...bye bye. And to the people that say it's a dumb move on Apple to grant exclusivity to AT&T...yeah...dumb move...I'm sure they are kicking themselves as their stock rises and their pockets get fuller...are you serious!!! Yes I agree...if it was open to other networks...they would make even more money and their stock would rise even more...but by no means are they hurting by being exclusive to AT&T...they are rolling in it regardless...like I said before...IMO...iPhone envy is the root to a lot of the criers.
Click to expand...

Just because YOU live in an area with good coverage doesn't mean that others have your same coverage. From the number of iPhone users complaining, it has NOTHING to do with envy and everything to do with spotty coverage. And what does leaving AT&T because of the bad coverage have to do with envy - aren't the people you are telling to leave already iPhone customers? And you answered your own final point - yes, AT&T would make a lot more money by coming out with a Verzion version.
 
MacAttack2 said:
Good news for At&T, not so much for the rest of us.
72
Click to expand...

Love my AT&T service. It has worked flawlessly for me in the places I have lived (Long Island, NY, Salt Lake City, UT, and Phoenix, AZ). No complaints from me.
 
ethana said:
Who said that the 5 year contract started the day the iPhone was released? What is if the 5 year contract started the day it was SIGNED? Meaning it could have been signed in 2005, iPhone released in 2007, and then exclusivity ends in 2010?

Either way, don't expect a Verizon phone until 2011 at the earliest.
Click to expand...



LOL. Dream on. :D
 
theheadguy said:
What makes you think Apple will ever break from ATT? Let me explain for the post-iphone-introduction members here... Apple has never been about every person using their product, they've always been about a controllable high profit market share. Hate to break it to you, but they make great products with an equal (if not occasionally higher) focus on fat profit margins. I'm sure the iphone surpassed their wildest expectations, so they are happy. They don't need to take over the world, they just need a small slice to pay them a lot of money; for god's sake they've admitted this before! If ATT offers up a lucrative enough contract, Apple will resign with them for another 5 years, no problem. They don't need the straggling few who refuse to switch from V. If they were worried about this, they wouldn't have signed a 5-year agreement!
Click to expand...

I totally believe they need to go to other carriers due to the high demand for smartphones these days, but your post is exactly 100% respected coming from years of Apple's keen business sense mentality. Especially when you take into account their global sales giving them the "fat" margins you talk about.

Good post man...

My thoughts of getting out of AT&T is that it is just a carrier. Why limit yourself Apple? You have a Market Opportunity right now that is millions of profit, may be billions within a couple years. The demand is so high for smartphones, and ever increasing. The Market Opportunity would increace revenue-share yet again, and increase their stock once again, and pleasing their shareholders once again. And, the timely issue is - you could also hinder the market presence of Android which is something Apple really has to start strategizing about...

Alltogether, I respect your opinion a lot due to Apple's past. For some time now, I've have been thinking that "fat" profits coming from Global Sales are causing the United States to see this AT&T contract end longer than expected. :(

Once again, cool post. :cool:
 
HiRez said:
I'm sure there are places where coverage is better, but New York City and Silicon Valley/SF are probably the two most important markets int he world for a gadget like the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Apparently not, given that the iPhone appears to be quite successful nonetheless.

And, at least in my experience, AT&T coverage is pretty good across the US except in parts of CA and parts of the east coast - I've had excellent coverage in Chicago, for example.
 
Ubuntu said:
Just out of curiosity are you allowed to use Skype on the cellular network in America? In the UK we can only use it on wifi, just wondered if that was global.
Click to expand...
Curious as well.

I know that you can JB an iPhone, and then use voice Skype on 3G after installing an app that tells Skype that it's on WiFi when it's really on 3G.
 
MacRumors said:
Most industry experts seem to believe that AT&T exclusivity comes to an end this year with several whispers that Apple will bring the iPhone to Verizon's network in 2010.
Click to expand...

Those industry experts are wrong.

No way Verizon sees an iPhone in 2010.
 
Dumb Apple Dumb!!!

Another two years of waiting are you kidding me? I think this is a joke and we are becoming impatient. If Apple decides to go this way they're just giving Android another advantage they already surpassed the iPhone sales for the first time. Imagine what Android can do if iPhone got stucked on one provider for another two years. I don't know!!!
 
HiRez said:
My sources are just about every single person I know with an iPhone, which is at least three or four dozen. I'm not exaggerating, every single one of them has complaints about their service dropping out, not being able to make calls, having garbled voice, and spotty 3G coverage (the 3G speed is actually not bad, but the coverage is not good, even in major metro areas). I
Click to expand...


Three or four dozen haha..

I always love it when people exxagerate and speak for other people. While this is fun while you claim to know the intimate thoughts of dozen of people and their cell phone usage (imagine how many people you know well enough to know 4 dozen with iPhones, must be in the several hundreds, how do you have time to do anything?)

Although to be honest, the best are the cult leaders who claim they will get dozens or scores of people to follow their lead and jump from one product to the next...

People don't work like that, and people don't march in Unison... Even if you somehow actually did know 48 people with iPhones well enough to really know their detailed feelings and plans about them, the reality is only a small percentage would actually do anything, that is how people work.

Also please stop with the ignorant rants. Verizon has sucky coverage in many places as well. Combine that with a slower network and no ability to use data and voice at the same time and I am calling it at least a push.
 
Big who cares. Anyone who wants an iPhone has moved onto AT&T to get one. The rest of us are happy using the various other phones their carrier offers. The HD2 and Incredible are selling like crazy, RIM always seems to be the top selling smartphone in the US, and the EVO is highly anticipated.

Two years ago you had to move to AT&T to get the only decent smartphone. Now there are many on the market that according to a lot of people are better than the iPhone.

The iPhone just isn't that exclusive "wow" phone anymore. The people without one don't want one for whatever reason.
 
I strongly believe that the iPhone will be coming to VZW at the end of 2010. I would really hate (well hate more) when all of those iPad's 3G starts being activated on AT&T, that's what AT&T needs more lag on their spotty and unreliable network, and yes I do talk from experience with iPhone. I have had all service on all of the networks (AT&T (Cingular), Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint) and I always comeback to VZW, it maybe old technology (CDMA network), but its waaaayyyy more reliable service. Also gotta love their Customer Service! I love the iPhone but hate AT&T Wireless.
 
This news is irrelevant

I'm not sure what all the brouhaha is about regarding AT&T exclusivity of the iPhone. There was an article a few weeks ago that reported that AT&T will continue to have exclusivity on the iPhone in exchange for offering attractive data rates to Apple for the iPad. Thus, we already knew any (slight) chances of seeing the iPhone on Verizon or T-Mobile were gone for this year. Denial is the first stage.... :)
 
HiRez said:
My sources are just about every single person I know with an iPhone, which is at least three or four dozen. I'm not exaggerating, every single one of them has complaints about their service dropping out, not being able to make calls, having garbled voice, and spotty 3G coverage (the 3G speed is actually not bad, but the coverage is not good, even in major metro areas). It's not just me, AT&T is a national joke, you even have talk show hosts making jokes about it. I'm sure there are places where coverage is better, but New York City and Silicon Valley/SF are probably the two most important markets int he world for a gadget like the iPhone, and unfortunately iPhones just plain don't work there. When I have to call someone back three or four times just about every single time I try to make a call, something is very wrong.
Click to expand...

I don't have an iPhone yet, but according to the dozen or so people who I saw with an iPhone in hand, I ask about my area and how well is the AT&T service, what with everybody griping about it everywhere else on these rumor sites. :confused:

No complaints and works great is the feedback I receive. Hmmm... :rolleyes:

Maybe Silicon Valley and New York need to move?! Of course, just not in my backyard! ;)
 
Well, I said it before and I'll say it again, theres no way I'm sticking with AT&T passed this Summer. Their service here in southern California is the worst of any carrier.

If theres no iPhone for another service provider then I'll be leaving iPhone behind. Sorry Apple, but theres no way in hell I'm going to put up with paying nearly $100 a month for a device I can barely use thanks to the network its locked to.

Oh and not allowing us to unlock our phones is a violation of the DMCA you and other companies oh so love to push down peoples throats.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back