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Length of AT&T's exclusive contract revealed
- Thread starter kdarling
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I don't really mind this at all. It kind of makes sense. Having one provider allows Apple more control over the features that depend on the carrier like Visial Voice Mail. It reduces the variables from a quality control standpoint sort of like running OSX on an Apple made computer.
I don't really mind this at all. It kind of makes sense. Having one provider allows Apple more control over the features that depend on the carrier like Visial Voice Mail. It reduces the variables from a quality control standpoint sort of like running OSX on an Apple made computer.
I live in San Diego and when I had att, the service was horrible. I never got my text messages or voice mail alerts on time, they always came hours later. The reception was always going up and down in the same spot. Terrible reception and they were ripping me off every month to. Now I have T-Mobile, perfect reception everywhere I go, texts and voice mails come promptly. Much better customer service.
Plus, those iPhone plans are a rip off. The only reason I would get the iPhone is to have my iPod and phone in one machine. And the internet is nice on the iPhone. But other than that I think it's a bit ridiculous how people worship this piece of plastic. Also I have found that the blackberry service (which I have) in use with the Pearl 8120, is extremely good. I get my emails faster than I would on an iPhone. Blackberry for email and messaging can not be beat. Even by the iPhone.
Plus, those iPhone plans are a rip off. The only reason I would get the iPhone is to have my iPod and phone in one machine. And the internet is nice on the iPhone. But other than that I think it's a bit ridiculous how people worship this piece of plastic. Also I have found that the blackberry service (which I have) in use with the Pearl 8120, is extremely good. I get my emails faster than I would on an iPhone. Blackberry for email and messaging can not be beat. Even by the iPhone.
There are so many myths being posted in this thread. Since when did Apple turn to Sprint? I'm sure Sprint themselves would be surprised to hear this. USA Today seems to be contradicting themselves every time they post an article regarding the iPhone. First it was a five year contract, now it's two or even three. The truth is that no one knows except Apple and at&t.
They also say that Verizon passed up of the offer. The first iTunes phone was the Rokr, which was on at&t (even though it flopped). Also, why would they go with the #2 carrier in terms of customer base and in addition go CDMA, while going GSM for the rest of the world?
I guess if USA Today tells us the world is flat we should believe that also.
They also say that Verizon passed up of the offer. The first iTunes phone was the Rokr, which was on at&t (even though it flopped). Also, why would they go with the #2 carrier in terms of customer base and in addition go CDMA, while going GSM for the rest of the world?
I guess if USA Today tells us the world is flat we should believe that also.
well verizon now has that bring in any phone feature wich they have yet to say what that means anywho this is good for me my phone contract is up in 2010 and that would be my next phone if verizon does get the iphone
Say bye-bye to soaring iPhone sales, Apple. I am not buying one until the iPhone is legally T-mobile compatible.
Dang these forums are slow...
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Doesn't look flat to me.
Dang these forums are slow...
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Doesn't look flat to me.
Amen! Don't care about touch screen, don't care about internet access or email. Just let me take a call on my iPod! (on my own carrier of course).
Spoken like a true socialist.
Apple is not in business to make you happy or to give you something because you think you deserve it.
Like every other for profit company, Apple is in business to make money for their investors / stockholders. Apple decided that the best way to maximize profit was to partner with specific carriers. If that decision actually maximizes profits is debatable but Apple made that decision with the idea that it would maximize profits.
If you don't like the carrier, the iPhone, or Apple, don't purchase the iPhone. It isn't necessary to have an iPhone and there are plenty of other phones out there on the carrier of your choice.
It's silly to believe that apple didn't shop iphone around to all the carriers. Apple needed the carriers, not the other way around. Of course Sprint won't publicly say that it turned down iphone. That would just add to the perception that the company is inept and badly managed.
the CDMA carriers have stuff like music stores, on demand TV etc that they sell as additional services, which they wouldn't be able to sell on iphone. Apple would not settle for anything less than total control of iphone to sell apps so of course they turned Apple down. Why let apple reap the profits off the bandwidth of their 3G networks when they can introduce a handset which they control completely and do the same thing?
If you read all the replies on this thread, you would see that all the carriers connections / service depend on where you are. Just because T-Mobile is better in San Diego, doesn't mean it's great elsewhere (i.e. when you are getting a new cell, find out what the best service is in your calling area).
Isn't your blackberry data plan comparable with the AT&T iPhone plan ? How much do you pay for your blackberry data plan and what does it include ?
I'm talking in terms of customer base, at&t has the largest. It all boils down to sales, right? I know if I want to sell a product I would start at the largest distributor, not vice-versa.
ATT is #1 on my hit list of reasons why I won't own an iPhone. Knock that out of there an the reasons drop substantially.
FYI the next biggest is the gestapo like control Apple has over the apps that are on the iPhone. That is BORDERLINE a deal killer. But ATT is a deal killer.
PS- #3 was the lack of programs and a real API. Apple has neutered that complaint...for the most part.
There is no reason Apple can't design the iPhone with that in mind. Everyone else does. And frankly 3G is overrated. If I need to browse to something in a heartbeat that is one thing. But if I'm doing casual browsing there is no reason that I would need it. Granted YMMV on that opinion. For me 3G is the lest of my concerns about the iPhone.
Now that said. The demo of google's Android and street view coupled with GPS...I can see a legitimate use there for 3G. But for the iPhone?
FYI the next biggest is the gestapo like control Apple has over the apps that are on the iPhone. That is BORDERLINE a deal killer. But ATT is a deal killer.
PS- #3 was the lack of programs and a real API. Apple has neutered that complaint...for the most part.
There is no reason Apple can't design the iPhone with that in mind. Everyone else does. And frankly 3G is overrated. If I need to browse to something in a heartbeat that is one thing. But if I'm doing casual browsing there is no reason that I would need it. Granted YMMV on that opinion. For me 3G is the lest of my concerns about the iPhone.
Now that said. The demo of google's Android and street view coupled with GPS...I can see a legitimate use there for 3G. But for the iPhone?
The difference in size of the 2 carriers at the time was minimal. AT&T had just recently surpassed Verizon IIRC.
So, you think of all the media outlets that reported Verizon passed on the deal, none of them corroborated the story? You think Apple just stood by and let all of them make up the story without some sort of corrective statement? We were all completely duped and Verizon never even had the opportunity to carry the iPhone?
Sorry, not buying it. I honestly beleive that Verizon turned the deal down as was reported. Mostly likely because they didn't want to accept the harsh terms being presented by Apple and they probably assumed AT&T wouldn't budge either.
If a CDMA version of the iPhone was made, the economy of scale would have been the same for the first iPhone. And for 3G, there are several large markets around the world for CDMA. But yes, for Europe a GSM version would have had to been developed. But with so many of the components being similar, the costs would not have been that disparate. Many phones today are available in GSM and CDMA flavors. It's already being done.
Sure if the phone was subsidized, customer base would matter. But the original iphone was not. The customer base that the original iphone was sold to would have gone to whatever carrier had it. It's pretty obvious that people are buying iphones on ATT because they want an iphone, not that they necessarily want ATT.
Spoken like a true capitalist pig. So I'm assuming that if a company ever does anything wrong, this mystical force known as the "free" market would take care of it. Yeah ok. Look at what happened at the turn of the century. Corporations ran everything and poor people were really poor. Rich people were really rich. Much like today. The top 1% controls 40% of this counties wealth. How is that right or fair? I assume you would say that they earn it. Really? The top 1% did not "earn" 40% of my country.
As for Apple and ATT, I am ashamed. Apple should have opened the device to as many networks as possible. It would have allowed for more people who are unwilling to go to ATT buy the device. The purpose of a company shouldn't be to make a profit on the backs of others. It should be the create the best possible product and to sell it at a reasonable price to as many people as possible. Profits will follow and you will not be alienating people. How about that? Something is more powerful the all mighty dollar.
I like the iphone but not enough to switch to ATT, T-Mobile customer service & rate plans are too good to leave..
a phone by a different name
The iphone has the contract with AT&T
I am a verizon guy and just like many, the ONLY reason why I dont have an iphone is because of AT&T
Everytime I talk with someone with AT&T, there are micro delays that affect conversations, bursts of noise, dropped calls..
I also smugly say "what carrier are you on"
its always answered "AT&T"
SO what I am getting at it, the "iphone" is with AT&T
that trademark, that product
Apple....why now make ANOTHER phone thats not called the iphone..
Call it the APPLE ANYTHING
or something....
But yes, its is a new design, new device, that is a phone,, and can be used with any network
You still have you iphone and everything is legal, and you have your new device
The iphone has the contract with AT&T
I am a verizon guy and just like many, the ONLY reason why I dont have an iphone is because of AT&T
Everytime I talk with someone with AT&T, there are micro delays that affect conversations, bursts of noise, dropped calls..
I also smugly say "what carrier are you on"
its always answered "AT&T"
SO what I am getting at it, the "iphone" is with AT&T
that trademark, that product
Apple....why now make ANOTHER phone thats not called the iphone..
Call it the APPLE ANYTHING
or something....
But yes, its is a new design, new device, that is a phone,, and can be used with any network
You still have you iphone and everything is legal, and you have your new device
It's not really multiple media outlets reporting, it's them quoting one another. Also, how many times have you heard anyone from Apple respond to any comments? I haven't heard one yet (none that I can remember). It doesn't really make sense to argue about it at this point. The bottom line is that you can't please everyone. If it came out for Verizon first, there would be people arguing that they should have made a GSM version.
Well, you never know about t-mobile could get iPhone in after 2010.
Just add 1700 MHz to chip, also it have to lock or disable on att based iPhone.
I'm sure ATT's execs and lawyers thought that one through. Plus, I don't think Apple is 1. going to do anything to dilute its brand(iPhone) and 2. a second phone would just take sales away from the iPhone.
Even with all this concern over who Apple has partnered with people seem to not be taking into account that this is(or is going to be) one of the best selling phones of all time. Apple is going to come out with a number in the next month that says they have already made their "by the end of 2008 goal" of 10 million phones sold. Plus, they are making like 35 or 40% gross profit on every one. In spite of so many nay sayers about this partnership both companies seem to be doing just fine.
Spoken like a true capitalist pig. So I'm assuming that if a company ever does anything wrong, this mystical force known as the "free" market would take care of it. Yeah ok. Look at what happened at the turn of the century. Corporations ran everything and poor people were really poor. Rich people were really rich. Much like today. The top 1% controls 40% of this counties wealth. How is that right or fair? I assume you would say that they earn it. Really? The top 1% did not "earn" 40% of my country.
As for Apple and ATT, I am ashamed. Apple should have opened the device to as many networks as possible. It would have allowed for more people who are unwilling to go to ATT buy the device. The purpose of a company shouldn't be to make a profit on the backs of others. It should be the create the best possible product and to sell it at a reasonable price to as many people as possible. Profits will follow and you will not be alienating people. How about that? Something is more powerful the all mighty dollar.
Sorry, but this is the corporate world we are talking about. Deals like these have been going on for the longest. Think of the Razr, Blackberry Curve, etc. They were all introduced on at&t / Cingular. It's only because of the iPhone why everyone is so disgruntled right now.
There was a time when at&t was still on TDMA (been with them for 10 years now) and had no good phones to offer, while the other carriers had all the nice phones. Now it's the total opposite.
this is great news since I was under the suspicion that it would end in 2012. Ending in 2010 would be nice.
For me, Sprint is still king even if they are loosing sales. Getting the whole enchilada for $99 is a steal, and having insurance for the phone is a big plus. But anything other than AT&T would be great.
Their customer service does suck indeed, but I can't say that I love Sprint's or T-Mobile's either. Personally I just don't particularly like AT&T and what they are currently charging for the iPhone is ridiculous, and shows how small minded many Americans are.
The country is in a huge recession, and millions (that already have previous gen iPhones) are jumping at the chance to pay a LOT more for little difference.
For me, Sprint is still king even if they are loosing sales. Getting the whole enchilada for $99 is a steal, and having insurance for the phone is a big plus. But anything other than AT&T would be great.
Their customer service does suck indeed, but I can't say that I love Sprint's or T-Mobile's either. Personally I just don't particularly like AT&T and what they are currently charging for the iPhone is ridiculous, and shows how small minded many Americans are.
The country is in a huge recession, and millions (that already have previous gen iPhones) are jumping at the chance to pay a LOT more for little difference.