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Sprint to Also Get iPhone This Year?

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Apr 12, 2001
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While all eyes have been on the possibility of a Verizon release of an iPhone this year, we've also been hearing whispers that Apple's phone may also be spreading to Sprint as well.

The problem is we hear whispers of a lot of things all the time, so it can be hard to substantiate these unconfirmed rumors. For what it's worth, jkontherun first posted about the possibility in early May. James Kendrick dismissed the possibility even while acknowledging that the source had been reliable in the past:
In the “totally unlikely to come true” department, yesterday I was told that Sprint will be getting the iPhone this summer. You heard that right, while rumors have long pointed to Big Red getting the iPhone this year, never has it been mentioned that Sprint would be selling the iPhone. I can’t believe this is true, although the source has been reliable in the past and does work for Sprint.
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Since this time, we had heard similar rumblings from a Sprint-connected source that Sprint was going to be readying for the iPhone later this year. Likely in the September timeframe -- placing it in the same timeframe as Verizon rumors.

Finally, a TechUpdate post claims that a BestBuy employee who "confirms" that Sprint will indeed be one of the new iPhone's carriers. Unfortunately, this is the sketchiest of sources. Best Buy employees tend not to be privy to much advanced Apple-related information, and, if it were true, I suspect we'd be hearing it from multiple sources.

While all the attention has been on Verizon, itself, Apple would stand to gain the most by expanding to multiple U.S. carriers as its exclusivity contract with AT&T expires. One of the reasons for Android's growing success has been attributed to broad availability across multiple carriers.

Article Link: Sprint to Also Get iPhone This Year?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/23/sprint-to-also-get-iphone-this-year/
I wonder why Apple did not do this all along, meaning allowing the iPhone to all carriers. I'm sure they had their reasons for it. But it will be nice to have options.
 
Seeing how the Palm dog-and-pony show turned out to be a massive dud, I'd say Sprint is itching for a headliner product. The iPhone would make Sprint's name easily.

Rumours being what they are, however . . . ;)
 
I hope this is true. I'm pretty happy with AT&T's service in my area, but I understand that's not the case for everyone. The more carriers iPhone buyers have to choose from, the better.

It will be interesting though to see the hatred spewed at Sprint from certain parts of the Internet the moment this announcement is official. :D
 
thecartoonguy said:
I wonder why Apple did not do this all along, meaning allowing the iPhone to all carriers. I'm sure they had their reasons for it. But it will be nice to have options.
Click to expand...

Because the current mobile ecosystem didn't exist back then. The only phones Verizon sold had giant Verizon logos both on the phone and in 50 places in the interface and were customized to trick you into spending more money. Apple didn't want any of that so Verizon turned them away.
 
It would be great if this were true since I am a Sprint customer and they have great speeds/prices, and I rarely get dropped calls, unless I'm talking to someone on AT&T... :D
 
thecartoonguy said:
I wonder why Apple did not do this all along, meaning allowing the iPhone to all carriers. I'm sure they had their reasons for it. But it will be nice to have options.
Click to expand...

Cause Apple had a lot of demands, so they had to leverage iPhone exclusivity at the time. Stuff like not having a carrier logo on the phone itself, only carrier determined apps, carrier-controlled app distribution, visual voice mail changes, etc...

They offered it to Verizon, but Verizon refused.

arn
 
Sneakz said:
If your gonna do a CDMA iPhone, might as well do it for both carriers seeing as no one else needs it.
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Unless one of those carriers has been painting your product in a negative light in their ads. Not sure how depicting iPhone as an inhabitant of the Island of Misfit Toys or its users as befuddled and confused by their 3G service would play in the upper ranks of Apple, but I'm guessing not well.
 
I've had sprint for quite some time now (around 4 years) and I am very happy with the service/price. My contract expires in October so I would love to get an iPhone at around that time. I haven't really been tempted to switch carriers just because of one (i)phone, although I would love another gadget =D
 
Oh please no... Sprint IMO is not worthy for the iPhone, not to mention there 4G network is not that much better than the current 3G networks. As this is only a rumor, I doubt that this is gonna happen.
 
arn said:
Cause Apple had a lot of demands, so they had to leverage iPhone exclusivity at the time. Stuff like not having a carrier logo on the phone itself, only carrier determined apps, carrier-controlled app distribution, visual voice mail changes, etc...

They offered it to Verizon, but Verizon refused.

arn
Click to expand...

I for one like the fact that the iPhone does not have the AT&T logo on it. If I recall most if not all other smart phones have their carriers logos on them.
 
arn said:
Cause Apple had a lot of demands, so they had to leverage iPhone exclusivity at the time. Stuff like not having a carrier logo on the phone itself, only carrier determined apps, carrier-controlled app distribution, visual voice mail changes, etc...

They offered it to Verizon, but Verizon refused.

arn
Click to expand...

Many thanks Arn. :)
 
This is sketchy, but if there is a Verizon iPhone, it can be activated on Sprint, couldn't it? since they both have CDMA networks? (with hacks of course, similar to putting an iPhone on T-Mobile).

I think that $325 ETF is staring us in the face though.
 
slipper said:
Everytime i talk to BestBuy employees, they don't know jack... :rolleyes:
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Agreed. I heard a best buy employee telling a customer that the iPad data plan was $60 a month and it was a 2 year contract. I just had to step in and correct him. Then later on the lady who he was talking to came up to me for more advice.
 
MarkMoseley1 said:
Oh please no... Sprint IMO is not worthy for the iPhone, not to mention there 4G network is not that much better than the current 3G networks. As this is only a rumor, I doubt that this is gonna happen.
Click to expand...

sprint does have a great coverage and price for some... AT&T doesn't
have 3G here but sprint does.

/b
 
Goaliegeek said:
This is sketchy, but if there is a Verizon iPhone, it can be activated on Sprint, couldn't it? since they both have CDMA networks? (with hacks of course, similar to putting an iPhone on T-Mobile).

I think that $325 ETF is staring us in the face though.
Click to expand...
As far I as I know, Verizon phones won't activate on Sprint. It's not as simple as popping a SIM in, because the phone actually needs to be registered with Sprint to work on their network. Not sure if there's a way around it.
 
Sneakz said:
If your gonna do a CDMA iPhone, might as well do it for both carriers seeing as no one else needs it.
Click to expand...

Precisely. Your thinking is logical. Unfortunately, Apple often behaves illogically, which would explain why Apple has not offered the iPhone through T-Mobile. Yeah, I know that T-Mobile uses the 1700 MHz band for 3G, but how hard is it to come up with a multi-band radio that includes that frequency, too?
 
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