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

Unclear: is concensus that there will or won't be a Verizon iPhone on Jan. 11?

Travisimo said:
That still doesn't explain the adverse scenario of launching an updated model only 5 months after the current one is released on Verizon. I mean, will Steve have a lot of happy iPhone 4 customers who buy an iPhone 4 on Verizon in a few weeks only to have the new model come out in July?

Engadget says it well

"Speaking of, a word of warning: in your rush to buy a Verizon iPhone, you might be locking yourself into a contract you'll be dying to break when the iPhone 5 launches in the summer. Apple typically keeps its product cycles at around a year to avoid this sort of regret, but a Verizon iPhone launching in the middle of the iPhone 4's lifespan really throws a wrench into those proceedings. Oh, and speaking of contracts, Verizon is about to up its early upgrade policy to 20 months instead of the typical 12 (as in, you have to wait 20 months to get a new fully subsidized phone), so if you recently got a phone on Verizon you might have a bit of a wait before you get a cheap upgrade to the iPhone."

There's got to be another piece to this puzzle...
Click to expand...


Nope! I think you are over thinking this. My buddies all still carry the 3GS because they were locked in with it when the iPhone4 came out. Last I checked, this is an issue with EVERYONE who has an iPhone on contract. Contracts are greater then 1 year...so it doesn't coincide with Apple's annual iPhone updates.

I could be wrong, but Verizon getting the iPhone4 is special enough. Many die hard Verizon customers will buy it! Many AT&T 3GS customers will switch. For those like me, with an iPhone4 (on AT&T) we will have to wait or pay out the nose. I'm personally staying with AT&T, but I'm certain Apple would never let one network have the jump from the other. Plus, production cycles would be completely out of sync if the specs change dramatically on a subsequent phone. It's more profitable for Apple to maintain similar production lines as much as possible.

In terms of Verizon customers getting the iPhone4 now and then getting upset when the iPhone5 comes out in June 2011? Well, they should wait to buy until then. This was part of AT&T's exclusivity! Yes, Verizon is jumping on the tail coat of AT&T right now but will be neck and neck with consumer demand after the first contracts are up on the iPhone4 from AT&T.

Cosmo
 
It's not happening! It doesn't make any sense for Apple to make an iPhone with completely different internals just for a U.S. carrier.
 
Guys, I'm almost certain a Verizon iPhone will be announced next Tuesday and be on the street by early February. There are just too many signs from too many major sources pointing that way. I've been plenty skeptical in the past, but not this time.

Yes there are questions with respect to upgrade cycles and such, but don't think for a minute that this will drive Apple to delay such a lucrative business opportunity.
 
Verizon people will regret buying old tech (ie. Iphone4) IF they release it under Verizon soon...come June everybody will be talking about Iphone5/4S. Tough luck for Verizon customers waiting atleast a year to upgrade.
 
Or waiting 5 months! I think most consumers now know Apples release cycle. If they buy now, they'll understand the risk. ATT is still selling the iPhone4. In this respect, it is no different. Heck, ATT is still selling 3GS iPhones.

Verizon will get the iPhone4. Customers will have to decide for themselves whether to get it or not, just like ATT customers.

Does this put Verizon customers at a slight disadvantage? Yes, but they've waited this long, I sure if they want the next iPhone they will wait another 5 months. After the fist round of contracts are up, Verizon will be on pace with and off the same iPhone lineup ad ATT.
 
Travisimo said:
I think the biggest question that arises if the Verizon iPhone is indeed coming out imminently is what does this mean for the iPhone launch cycle? I mean, it doesn't make sense for Apple to release a CDMA iPhone 4 in February, and then turn around and launch a brand new iPhone model again in July. If that's the case, then there are two apparent problems that arise:

1) Those who buy the CDMA iPhone 4 in February would feel left out when the new model arrives in July. I mean, that's only 5 months difference! Obviously those who bought a February model would not be able to upgrade to the new one in July.

2) Similarly, if they release the CDMA iPhone 4 on Verizon in February and then ONLY release the iPhone 5 on AT&T in July, the same backfire could happen. Of course, Apple could stagger the release of GSM and CDMA iPhones, but that would cause it's own set of problems (like when to update iOS, etc). Of course, it could ease the pain of manufacturing enough iPhones to both carriers, couldn't it? I mean, if they release a new iPhone 5 on both AT&T and Verizon in July, there would be HUGE shortages I would imagine.

I just don't see either scenario being ideal for Apple or customers. Wouldn't it be better just to wait until July to release the iPhone 5 to multiple carriers and have enough time to build up a supply for both?

As a current customer of Verizon with an upgrade date of May 2011, I'll most likely wait until the summer phones arrive.
Click to expand...

Personally, I think they will stagger the releases for a little while. This is a wild ass guess, but I would not be surprised if much of the timing is due to buy out negotiations with ATT.

My scenario:

Apple realised that not being on Verizon was giving Android too much of a foothold. Plus, with so much bad press of ATT sucks, yada yada, yada, the partnership was starting to rub off badly on Apple.

Verizon realized that a still large segment of the market would never go to them unless they had the iPhone.

ATT had an exclusive deal with more time on it, but realized that new accounts buying iPhones and upgraders from dumbphones to iPhones (both of which drive an increase in revenue, either per account or of course a new account) and had reached some tipping point and they were proportionately getting more and more people just upgrading from iPhone to iPhone, which did not increase their revenue per account.

ATT negotiaties money from Apple to allow their deal to expire early, with the proviso that the Verizon iPhone is off cycle from the ATT iPhone for a period of time. This gives ATT one more chance to sign people up between July 2010 and now and complicates switching due to ETF a little bit for future years. ATT took maximum advantage of this with the early upgrades they offered people. If ATT did their analysis and negotiations correctly, they will come out ahead with the buyout money from Apple as they can get money now and not have to take the risk and cost of providing service to x number of lines over x number of years.

As you mentioned, the delay also allows resource levelling at factories, which as we have all read are already having capacity and labor issues. After 18 months or a year, the initial demand is used up and they can gradually shift to an on cycle release of they want. Seems to me that the July time frame is better as just after holiday buying season seems to beg people to wait. Release in July means supplies are back to impulse buy levels by November for the most part.
 
VonWillebrand said:
Verizon people will regret buying old tech (ie. Iphone4) IF they release it under Verizon soon...come June everybody will be talking about Iphone5/4S. Tough luck for Verizon customers waiting atleast a year to upgrade.
Click to expand...

I really don't expect the iPhone 5 to be a massive upgrade. iPhone 4 was a huge step up. They can't do that every year.
 
jpetticrew said:
It's not happening! It doesn't make any sense for Apple to make an iPhone with completely different internals just for a U.S. carrier.
Click to expand...

Someone needs to wake up to reality.

Sherifftruman said:
Personally, I think they will stagger the releases for a little while. This is a wild ass guess, but I would not be surprised if much of the timing is due to buy out negotiations with ATT.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
jpetticrew said:
It's not happening! It doesn't make any sense for Apple to make an iPhone with completely different internals just for a U.S. carrier.
Click to expand...

Since that carrier holds more subscribers than any other in the country, it makes a lot of sense.
 
Seems just about as likely as ever, but until there is concrete evidence saying yea or nay I can't be fully convinced. I don't care either way though, AT&T is fine for me.
 
nexus14 said:
No Verizone iPhone. Gizmodo was not invited because they lack objectivity.
Click to expand...

Gizmodo's lack of an invite is only one of many reasons to believe it's not an iphone.

And it's not an iPad 2....that won't warrant an event all on it's own (heck, they barely made anything of the iPad+MiFi thing...just a PR)

And it's not the announcement of 4G/LTE...that's was done @ CES

And they announced all the other handsets @ CES

So, what does that leave? What do you honestly think it will be besides the above since those are out for obvious reasons?
 
Geckotek said:
Gizmodo's lack of an invite is only one of many reasons to believe it's not an iphone.

And it's not an iPad 2....that won't warrant an event all on it's own (heck, they barely made anything of the iPad+MiFi thing...just a PR)

And it's not the announcement of 4G/LTE...that's was done @ CES

And they announced all the other handsets @ CES

So, what does that leave? What do you honestly think it will be besides the above since those are out for obvious reasons?
Click to expand...

You sir state some good facts :cool:
 
Seems too big of an announcement to not be the iPhone especially since all the android stuff was announced there (Droid Bionic and Xoom Tablet).

Should be the iPhone 4 as someone else mentioned earlier because Steve would announce upgraded hardware.

Evidence seems too great to not be the iPhone. If it's not, then we were all fooled, but I can't think of what else they would announce if not at CES.
 
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