Verizon Goes on Offensive Against iPhone Again With 'Droid Does' Teasers

[bytethese]

Interesting commercial. I thought it was "cute" and a play on Apple's commercials, which I suppose is effective from a competitor.

With that said, if you want to compete with the #1 smart phone in the US, shouldn't you focus on what it can do and not what your competition cannot? Show off those features, get people's pallets wet wanting your device, then bring it home with what your competition cannot do.

Sorry, but I'm quite happy with my iPhone, it's apps and everything else it does well. I don't need widgets, I don't need 5MP, I don't want a physical keyboard, I don't want to take crappy pics in the dark. Then again, that's just me.

 

[iRACK]

Anybody else notice the fact that Lucasfilms owns the Droid trademark? Could be something relevant, but I'm not sure what. I am sure that George Lucas doesn't give up his rights for something he doesn't support and I know when he licenses those rights, it doesn't come cheap...

Ull find it on Verizons Website, they have LIcenced the Name from Lucasarts

 

[bbrosemer]

The odd strategy on Verizon's part is that in attacking directly Apple, it only casts further doubt on the idea that the iPhone is coming to Verizon. If customers who had been sticking with Verizon were waiting for the iPhone don't get it could switch to AT&T. Meanwhile I don't know anyone that is going to drop AT&T or T-Mobile because of the Droid. People switch to Verizon because of the superior network not because of shiny new phones.

 

[cumanzor]

The advert itself is fine. But Apple delivers. There's something solid and proven behind Apple's adverts

Lol at people complaining about the ad. I mean, the whole "I'm a PC" campaign is an attack against Windows.

Anyways, this is no iPhone killer. In fact, I don't see any iPhone killer any time soon. Not at least until the hype around it decreases. That being said this phone looks beautiful, I really do hope they can deliver with Android this time.

 

[snebes]

Verizon forgot to add this to their commercial.

"iDon't look hideous"....."droid does"

 

[BongoBanger]

Lol at people complaining about the ad. I mean, the whole "I'm a PC" campaign is an attack against Windows.

Anyways, this is no iPhone killer. In fact, I don't see any iPhone killer any time soon. Not at least until the hype around it decreases. That being said this phone looks beautiful, I really do hope they can deliver with Android this time.

I agree. Anyone condeming this and lauding the "Mac vs PC" ads is beign more than a little hypocritical.

As for an iPhone killer, I don't think there will be one model that does it, it'll probably be more like a death by a thousand cuts.

 

[xhambonex]

The odd strategy on Verizon's part is that in attacking directly Apple, it only casts further doubt on the idea that the iPhone is coming to Verizon. If customers who had been sticking with Verizon were waiting for the iPhone don't get it could switch to AT&T. Meanwhile I don't know anyone that is going to drop AT&T or T-Mobile because of the Droid. People switch to Verizon because of the superior network not because of shiny new phones.

I think that's the point. They have lacked any real competition on the touchscreen market recently (excluding BB which isn't much of a competition). They made the effort to pick up some new Android devices, two good ones, and now are on the offensive.

I agree though, this is the 3rd blow they've sent Apple's way, which only seems to prove they know they won't be getting an iPhone for awhile. They have to play to their strengths, their network, and Android.

Now they have the superior network and good phones.

 

[Stately]

Hahahaha . . Wow. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but, did Verizon not turn down the iphone before Apple went to AT&T Lol. Now they are supporting . . D r O I d (robot voice) lol. Wow

 

[Consultant]

They seem to on these forums. While there's a healthy contingent of AT&T customers who are happy with their service, there's also a number of people who go on about how Verizon has awesome service everywhere or if Verizon had the iPhone we'd have tethering by now.
While I can't speak to Verizon's service, I think people have unrealistic expectations about what Verizon can do. I call these people fanboys.
If they weren't fanboys, those people would be honest and admit that Verizon would be like AT&T and unable to handle the load of providing service for all the iPhone customers.
Or they could admit that any phone company would be unprepared for the crush of iPhone customers and would be overwhelmed. But I don't see that happening when people wish Verizon got the iPhone exclusivity instead.

Yeah, a small number of people have always complained about specs of iPods or iPhone since day one. But somehow Apple's devices always turned out to be industry benchmarks.

Perhaps AT&T should send the 3% of its customers that are using 40% of bandwidth to verizon, and see how verizon deal with that.

 

[kdarling]

With that said, if you want to compete with the #1 smart phone in the US, shouldn't you focus on what it can do and not what your competition cannot?

I would assume that it's just the first ad in a series, with more reveals as time goes on. At least, that's what I'd do.

Btw, I agree with whomever it was that said showing a Verizon Android with the HTC Sense UI would make a great commercial comparison. Too bad this won't have that.

I don't know where the kiddies get the iPhone killer stuff. It's just another choice. Still, it'd be interesting if Verizon continues to go full tilt pushing Android, against ATT and the iPhone. As a consumer, phone wars are A Good Thing.

 

[spazzcat]

I don't care about a removable battery never done that with the 10 cell phones I have owned.

I don't want a real keyboard.


I don't think VZW gets it
....

 

[fifthworld]

...of that (otherwise effective ad) is the line:

"iDon't run widgets."

OK, sure, maybe they aren't called "widgets." But there are 45743594389578934578934 apps in the App Store, with more coming every day.

The App Store is arguably the iPhone's greatest strength. It's certainly not a weakness.

Actually I disagree. The App Store is mostly comprised of irrelevant, if not useless apps. It is mostly a waste of millions and millions of developers hours, these hours in average returns very little pay and create in average even less interesting tools. The App Store may be a success by the sheer number of apps, but makes the iPhone looks like a toy for spoiled rich kids. It's possible that the iPhone will soon be lost in the oblivion of the promising technologies. BTW i love my iPHone and the 34 installed apps, but what an effort to find those!

 

[BryanLyle]

I love my iPhone, but I found myself watching this commercial going... "Yeah, that's right, yup, that one's right too, etc...."

Until somebody gets an App Store that competes with Apple, I am not going anywhere (even though AT&T blows here)

 

[aristotle]

I know that I'm not the target audience of this ad as I live in Canada which has excellent coverage on Fido/Rogers but "I don't buy Motorola anymore". My phone before the 3G came out in Canada was a Motorola KRZR. It was locked down by Rogers so that I could not put on any MP3 ringtones on it and had to pay 3 bucks for a ringtone plus the price of the data download. I can only imagine that Verizon, like other CDMA carriers are even worse at locking down/crippling their phones than a GSM/HSPA carrier like Rogers was.

The iPhone 3G allowed me to create and install ringtones for free just by using tricks in iTunes right out of the box.

 

[aristotle]

Actually I disagree. The App Store is mostly comprised of irrelevant, if not useless apps. It is mostly a waste of millions and millions of developers hours, these hours in average returns very little pay and create in average even less interesting tools. The App Store may be a success by the sheer number of apps, but makes the iPhone looks like a toy for spoiled rich kids. It's possible that the iPhone will soon be lost in the oblivion of the promising technologies. BTW i love my iPHone and the 34 installed apps, but what an effort to find those!

What is your point exactly? Do you believe that widgets are useful or would you place in them in the same category as these "useless" apps? If so, what is you argument exactly?

 

[Rot'nApple]

I think...

This is more of a "PRE-Killer" than an "iPhone-Killer"!

Wasn't it a "phone guy" that said that "PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They're not going to just walk in." Yet Apple did just "walk in" and changed the playing field with regards to smartphone handset designs, OS capabilities and lifestyle integration.

I wonder if Apple ran into the same criticisms over at Motorola? I remember at the keynote back in 2005 where Steve Jobs glossed over the Motorola "ROKR" phone introduction as an almost afterthought because it contained none of Steve's visionary greatness and yet was associated with Apple in some small way that it had to be spoken of. Instead, iTunes 5 and the iPod Nano were the ONLY talking points.

So can we assume that this phone coming from Motorola today should be called "ROKR - What We Would Have Introduced back in 2005 Had We Listened To Steve Jobs and Apple!"?

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/motorola-rokr-itunes-phone-introduced/

 

[nagromme]

They pick iDon't's that some tech aficionados stress out over, but few among the general buying public do. You have to start somewhere though. Good to see Android still going!

 

[Saneless]

The iPhone does have .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0WTIl5IkMA

Ugh, I'm sorry, but when most of your iDos are popularity contests.. big whoop.

Jonas Brothers have sold more CDs than any band I love, should I just start listening to JB more?

Don't tell me what other people have done (bought, downloaded) tell me what YOU can DO.

- It has a pretty good, not perfect, browsing experience. Needs: Possibly flash. DEFINITELY User agent spoofing for sites that ruin it for you. More customizable browser (default search engines, fullscreen).

- Apps that handle most of your needs. I don't give an F about 100K apps. 99,950 are things I couldn't care less about. It's the 50 that make me keep the phone.

- iPod. If iPod is your sorta thing, you're set.

But for the rest, Apple really needs to just give people some better options. I've jailbroken my phone because of some stubborn BS that shouldn't even be an issue. With one swipe and 3 presses I can disable BT, Wifi, and Location. With another program I can see if I have email or sms without having to unlock my phone to see the badges. I've changed the theme of the icons and springboard and it looks so nice.

These are changes Apple could make today if they wanted, but "Apple knows best" is their undying mantra. Which is weird -it's completely against what you can do on the desktop for some reason.

I may or may not get an Android, but at the very worst I hope it makes Apple open up their lame locked down phone.

 

[slicecom]

That's a great ad! Hopefully it pushes Apple to add some of these things to the next iPhone.

 

[Outrigger]

Thats what really bothers me. Verizon charges for everything!!!!!!

To me Verizon themselves need to change a lot of things before they can compare themselves to Apple or AT&T.

Yeah, and ATT definitely doesn't nickle and dime you to death...

 

[CoreyMac]

No this still isnt a Pre killer in my eyes.... The Pre is actually a decent device, just a little bit bulky for my liking, and it cant record video. WebOS is quite nice from the time I spent using the Pre.....but the HTC HD2 is going to blow both the Pre and the Droid away, and in many technical aspects the iPhone as well. I'm just about sold on that phone.

 

[iSamurai]

1. it's true what they say! the iPhone would do better if apple hadn't had such a firm grip on the iPhone.

2. so what if verizon is hating the iPhone. There's no official press release saying they're releasing the iPhone next year. They can shout as much as they want right now. All they need to do is to get as many handsets and contracts out as possible. It's like coke or pepsi. at the end of the day a supermarket wants you to buy, doesn't matter which one. the last paragraph wasn't well justified IMO.

 

[cswiger1]

iDon't support concurrent web access and voice calls.

iDon't support international network standards (like GSM).

iDon't have over 85,000 APPs (at least not yet).

iDo want complete control of all hardware and Apps on your smart phones.

iWill have to buy another phone for international travel.

iWill disable features that do not benefit my bottom line.

iWIll nickel and dime you for everything.

iWill bash the other carriers..until my network fails under the same pressure when it is finally "tested".

you left this EXACT post on the AppleInsider forum

 

[brent1a]

square and flat keyboard...let me know how that works out for ya.....

While looking at the droid phone I find myself wondering: Why in God's name would you build a phone that includes a real keyboard (for those people that prefer a real keyboard) that is totally square and FLAT?

How is that going to be useable? Why put all that engineering into something that people will be cursing from day one? From the pics I've seen the Android 2.0 OS also includes a touchscreen keyboard.....they could've saved millions in engineering costs by just going with the touchscreen and not adding a ridiculously small, square, and flat keyboard.

The only easily typable keys on a small cell phone/pda format are off-set raised button keys. Good gawd what an idiotic design.

 

[pilotError]

If Verizon want's to stop the bleeding of the smart phone market to AT&T they had to do something.

The reviews on the Android 2.0 software have been pretty good.

Personally, I have no need for any of the features they tout as iDon't, but to each his own. Seriously, pictures in the dark?

The Pre already does a bunch of what this thing tout's, but it hasn't been all that resounding of a success in the big scheme of things.

I'm just pissed that this seems to be a shot across the bow of Apple/AT&T, so it looks like that monopoly won't be over just yet...