Verizon iPhone Ad Campaign in Works?

[LagunaSol]

I found some marketing mock ups that included the name "VeriPhonezon".

Obviously fake. Way too short. The device will almost certainly be called something like the Droid Omnipotent vPhone With iCast (TM).

(I really hate Verizon's marketing.)

Of course, there's plenty of caveats in the article about legal wrangling to end it earlier. So, all this tells us really is that the original contract was a five year exclusive.

I imagine Apple has had the option to drop this agreement due to breach of contract or failure to perform or some clause like that. During last year's iPhone event Apple made it perfectly clear they were not happy with AT&T's performance. AT&T has bobbled or dropped the ball on many occasions (including MMS and tethering). I assume the exclusivity agreement could be declared null and void due to AT&T's incompetence.

 

[BlueQ]

Verizon does SUCK! All they offer is "more" coverage.

You guys starting to sound like Microsoft supporters when asked, why PC's are better than Macs. Well...well Apple just sucks! LOL.

Capitalism at its best boys. It all boils down to cold hard cash. The end goal of all these companies is how to get those crisp dollar bills out of your wallets.

 

[marksman]

Obviously fake. Way too short. The device will almost certainly be called something like the Droid Omnipotent vPhone With iCast (TM).

(I really hate Verizon's marketing.)



I imagine Apple has had the option to drop this agreement due to breach of contract or failure to perform or some clause like that. During last year's iPhone event Apple made it perfectly clear they were not happy with AT&T's performance. AT&T has bobbled or dropped the ball on many occasions (including MMS and tethering). I assume the exclusivity agreement could be declared null and void due to AT&T's incompetence.

Yeah except it is a contract, and if Apple tried to get out of it, AT&T could potentially tie Apple up in court for years preventing the iPhone showing up on Verizon.

Neither side really does well in that scenario, so I am sure that things have been worked on.

If Apple did decide that AT&T did not fulfill the contract, AT&T could get an injunction and tie things up for a good deal of time.

I suspect the contract has been adjusted and it is possible even payouts and compensation have taking place.

 

[cvaldes]

I for one could care less whether Verizon gets the phone or not, but how does exclusivity work on other phones. For example, for the HTC Incredible is there an exclusivity with Virizon for a certain period of time, or does it not matter since a new version of that phone will come out in 6 months anyway. I have never really been all that clear about that.

It's really about the carrier, their market and how they negotiate their terms with Apple.

Apple is not the one insisting on carrier exclusivity. In some markets, it's outright illegal to enforce exclusivity or lock a phone to a carrier.

 

[fabianjj]

How do you know they won't just make the phone LTE capable, sell it as a CDMA phone and with a software upgrade....boom...an LTE phone when the network is ready?

I used to think that they would wait until LTE was rolled out too before adding a different carrier. But that was before Android started nipping at their heels. It's a very different story now. The longer they wait, the more future business they will lose as people start investing in the Android platform and Android apps, accessories, etc. etc.

As the saying goes....."the early bird catches the worm"

Well that would be unlikely as Apple didn't even put 3G in their first phone (not even UMTS) due to battery constraints, if their attitude is the same about LTE it's going to be YEARS before there is a chip that Apple would consider efficient enough for the iPhone.

On top of that, Apple hasn't even put in the latest 3G standards into the iPhone yet, it only supports the 7,2 mbit/s standard, like most manufacturers.
Why? Becasue the phones can't do much more with the increased bandwidth anyways, except for faster tethering and slightly lower response times, which is not really the bottleneck for the current phones.

And besides, 3G can still be upgraded to almost 50 mbit/s, which should be more than enough for any phone, as there are few applications of speeds over 100 mbit/s

 

[JoJoCal19]

If this is true....and the rumors prove accurate on a September release, do you people reckon such a deal with VZ would be announced at WWDC in June? Or would they wait until August or so to announce VZ availability?

I can guarantee you that if the Verizon iPhone is coming out in 2010 it will be announced at WWDC at the same time as the AT&T iPhone. The reason is twofold. First, with the introduction of this new model which is a huge improvement over the 3GS and with the new software, Verizon would not want a mass exodus of users over to AT&T to get this new model, especially if they knew they would get it right around the corner. Second, Apple would not want to disappoint the huge crowd of people on the sidelines once again waiting to see if Verizon will get the iPhone before they buy a new phone, because if not, then a whole slew of people would purchase Android or other devices and would be locked into contracts, unable to purchase a Verizon version later in the year. So you can see there is a huge downside for both parties if they dont announce both phones at the same time.

 

[Scooterman1]

This could be VERY good for us consumers if this is true!!!

 

[renegad3]

Believe it when you see it.

Nowhere does it say Verizon will carry the iPhone, just that they are preparing a campaign for the iPhone launch.

Gee, maybe they are preparing a campaign to counter the iPhone launch, perhaps with a new android phone......

 

[Eric S.]

CNN.com is reporting today that the contract between AT&T and Apple is indeed 5 years: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/05/11/iphone.att.2012.mashable/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Of course, there's plenty of caveats in the article about legal wrangling to end it earlier. So, all this tells us really is that the original contract was a five year exclusive.

Right, this is just a rehash of exactly the same reports that we've seen elsewhere, including here on MR. The original contract was for five years, but speculation exists that it may have been modified since those original terms. So back to square one: no one knows if or when the iPhone will come to Verizon.

 

[forgetaboutpro]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Why would Verizon have an ad agency working to brand the iPhone? Hasn't Apple always insisted on doing it themselves?

Good point... though it may be those "Get iphone data plan for only $29.99 with Verizon" or something like that.

Furthermore landor is a design agency not an ad agency. Big difference.

 

[bwillwall]

Dang apple

Geez, apple... you keep letting us find all this stuff out before the launch of these products. Even to the point where on the iPad launch Steve Jobs showed that joke about the tablet then said "but before we get to that...". I couldnt beleive it. He totally sold it out before he was gonna show it. I wonder if there trying to be less secrative? Or if there trying to suprise us when the photos and specs are way off? If there not doing it on pourpous, theyve got to be pissed at this ad company for telling everybody.

 

[Bickity]

Advertising and branding are not the same thing,,,,,

How many times does it need to be said, Landor is a branding firm not an advertising firm.

This can't be true.

Apple handles all of their marketing and ads. Verizon ads are nothing but "Verizon, Verizon, Verizon;" no value in them what so ever.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

let me help you get it...iphone is on multiple carriers overseas because all those carriers use GSM...and the Carriers like China Mobile don't have iphone because they utilize CDMA...if Verizon was a GSM carrier I'm sure they'd have iPhone by now...got it?

Why are you so obsessed with being contrary and obsessed over this whole CDMA thing? You sound like all the people who said, "Oh Apple is a computer and iPod company, they'd never make a phone" prior to Apple making the iPhone!!!

Things change. Got it?

 

[macfan881]

The Following People who say Verizon will never get the iPhone are insane its bound to happen

the only people who say verizon wont get the iPhone are
A AT&T Fanboys
B.iPhone Haters
C.Droid Fanboys.

If Apple wants to grow in the Market share apple would be foolish not to just stay with AT&T. Lets also go back to 2007 back then ATT was the Best Cell Phone Carrier at the time they just merged with Cingular and was the bigest of the network. now verizon has been geting biger mainly due to Apple's competition Droid and BB So i think the day Apple Joins Verizon you will see huge sales of iPhones on Verizon. I for one wont because Verizon sucks were i Live but i'm sure for the people who have better Verizon Coverage will jump in a hart beat.

 

[alent1234]

Right, this is just a rehash of exactly the same reports that we've seen elsewhere, including here on MR. The original contract was for five years, but speculation exists that it may have been modified since those original terms. So back to square one: no one knows if or when the iPhone will come to Verizon.

like any contract between 2 fortune 500 companies it's probably 300 pages or longer and has hundreds of conditions and performance measures both sides have to live up to

 

[ARF900]

If this is true it would be a huge hit to android. As the Moto Droid would disappear as Verizons flagship phone. Maybe thats why Google went to T - Mobile?

 

[Nostromo]

Curious about the ad. What will it be about?

"Now overloading our circuits, too, with unnecessary data traffic: the iPhone"

 

[DavidReeves]

Um..... No.

Apple and AT&T make their own ads, and so does Verizon.

Evidently you don't work in the advertising industry, or know anyone who does.

 

[AbSoluTc]

The Following People who say Verizon will never get the iPhone are insane its bound to happen

the only people who say verizon wont get the iPhone are
A AT&T Fanboys
B.iPhone Haters
C.Droid Fanboys.

If Apple wants to grow in the Market share apple would be foolish not to just stay with AT&T. Lets also go back to 2007 back then ATT was the Best Cell Phone Carrier at the time they just merged with Cingular and was the bigest of the network. now verizon has been geting biger mainly due to Apple's competition Droid and BB So i think the day Apple Joins Verizon you will see huge sales of iPhones on Verizon. I for one wont because Verizon sucks were i Live but i'm sure for the people who have better Verizon Coverage will jump in a hart beat.

Your post is so full of fail it's not even funny. So, you won't switch to Verizon because they suck where you are, yet you think everyone else will and anyone that says otherwise about V getting the iPhone is a hater in some form or fashion?

Well. That sums it up!

V will not get the phone anytime soon. It's stupid. Why on earth would Apple compete, against itself? You ever think about that? GSM is THE worldwide standard. CDMA is not. Even if it's "cheap" to create a new phone, it's not worth it.


HI - We are Apple and we are going to give you a CHOICE in carriers this year! One carrier will give you voice AND data at the same time. One carrier will only give you voice OR data, not both at the same time. Of the two networks you can now choose from, they will both charge about the same even though one can't do what the other does. They are still going to charge you for it. Now, if you decide to switch carriers, you have to buy a NEW phone. Sorry, but you can't take your phone and go to another carrier.

If V gets the iPhone this year, I will eat my words but I don't see it happening. Business wise for Apple, it makes no sense.

 

[rain413]

It's coming. Late second, early third quarter.

give me a break! apple just announced the contract with ATT to stop rumors flying about VERIZON. Beside's it is public knowledge that Verizon is dumping all their money into LTE which is a GSM technology and required a SIM card so why on gods earth would apple make a CDMA for six months when Verizon announced they will be LTE ready in the beginning of 2011? Rumors are spread by people who don't have any idea what they are talking about. Research before you post! Any Verizon employee knows that Verizon is not a phone of ATT or Apple!

 

[rain413]

The Following People who say Verizon will never get the iPhone are insane its bound to happen

the only people who say verizon wont get the iPhone are
A AT&T Fanboys
B.iPhone Haters
C.Droid Fanboys.

If Apple wants to grow in the Market share apple would be foolish not to just stay with AT&T. Lets also go back to 2007 back then ATT was the Best Cell Phone Carrier at the time they just merged with Cingular and was the bigest of the network. now verizon has been geting biger mainly due to Apple's competition Droid and BB So i think the day Apple Joins Verizon you will see huge sales of iPhones on Verizon. I for one wont because Verizon sucks were i Live but i'm sure for the people who have better Verizon Coverage will jump in a hart beat.

LOL, ummm ATT has Blackberries and One Andorid phone with 5 more launch in a month. You are one of those people I was talking about earlier.... you know the ones who don't know what they are talking about. APPLE made a GSM iphone. GSM is the type of technology ATT uses and 220 other countries including most of china (thee most populated country). So how is making a proprietary CDMA iphone expanding the market for Apple? ATT has made up almost all of the 12 millions customers Verizon bought from Alltel.... In less then a year! Again do research before you start typing. AGAIN! Verizon is changing technologies to LTE the start of 2011. No phone will be created for a dying technology (CDMA, verizons current technoloy) this is also why APPLE did not make a CDMA iPad, no other countries Widely use GSM..... use your logic

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

V will not get the phone anytime soon. It's stupid. Why on earth would Apple compete, against itself? You ever think about that? GSM is THE worldwide standard. CDMA is not. Even if it's "cheap" to create a new phone, it's not worth it.

How would Apple be competing with itself? Apple would be opening themselves up to more customers. It's a win/win. As for GSM, Apple first approached Verizon before AT&T originally. Meaning, they would have produced a CDMA phone originally. So apparently they weren't concerned about some "world wide standard" even to begin with. You ever think about THAT?

HI - We are Apple and we are going to give you a CHOICE in carriers this year! One carrier will give you voice AND data at the same time. One carrier will only give you voice OR data, not both at the same time

.

You grossly over estimate the value of this feature. Most people don't need this or even use it very much. How many even know they can DO that? It's a non-issue.

If V gets the iPhone this year, I will eat my words but I don't see it happening. Business wise for Apple, it makes no sense.

No, what makes no sense business wise, would be for Apple to stay locked to one carrier indefinitely while Android platform continues to gobble up potential customers on the other 3 carriers that Apple could have had a shot at instead. Please, by all means, tell me how it makes business sense to hand customers over to your competitor?

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

So how is making a proprietary CDMA iphone expanding the market for Apple?

OMG. Why can't people get this SIMPLE concept:

More phones in more places = more sales which = more money.

Also why can't people get it through their thick heads that Android is picking up customers that Apple could have had. That's a game changer. Until now, Apple hasn't had any real competition. They do now. That changes things. If Android never existed, then I would agree with you....there would probably not be an iPhone on another carrier for a long long time. But that is not the case. Unless you think Apple doesn't care how many customers Google takes away from them. But I suspect that they do. When Android is on every carrier (even the one Apple is on) while Apple is only on one, it puts them at a disadvantage.

Man people. This stuff isn't rocket science. It's pretty basic.

 

[AbSoluTc]

How would Apple be competing with itself? Apple would be opening themselves up to more customers. It's a win/win. As for GSM, Apple first approached Verizon before AT&T originally. Meaning, they would have produced a CDMA phone originally. So apparently they weren't concerned about some "world wide standard" even to begin with. You ever think about THAT?

.

You grossly over estimate the value of this feature. Most people don't need this or even use it very much. How many even know they can DO that? It's a non-issue.



No, what makes no sense business wise, would be for Apple to stay locked to one carrier indefinitely while Android platform continues to gobble up potential customers on the other 3 carriers that Apple could have had a shot at instead. Please, by all means, tell me how it makes business sense to hand customers over to your competitor?

You do realize that Apple has never been about being the "biggest" right? They are all about being different and the BEST.

Perhaps you should write to Steve and fill him in on the benefits of business 101. Apparently he knows something you don't. Lol. I mean, the iPhone has been with AT&T for years now and it's the best selling phone out there. Could it sell more? Sure but there are a lot of things you don't take into account. I will let you figure them out or do you prefer to just spout off nonsense? Also keep in mind, that Apple has the iPhone, iPad and iPod. The later two, both do not require a mobile carrier (except for the 3G iPad). There are quite a few routes for people to take.

Verizon doesn't have the iPhone and if they were offered it the first time, I am sure they are kicking themselves in the ass right now for being so stuck up about locking it down. Perhaps next time, they won't be so greedy.

 

[AbSoluTc]

OMG. Why can't people get this SIMPLE concept:

More phones in more places = more sales which = more money.

Also why can't people get it through their thick heads that Android is picking up customers that Apple could have had. That's a game changer. Until now, Apple hasn't had any real competition. They do now. That changes things. If Android never existed, then I would agree with you....there would probably not be an iPhone on another carrier for a long long time. But that is not the case. Unless you think Apple doesn't care how many customers Google takes away from them. But I suspect that they do. When Android is on every carrier (even the one Apple is on) while Apple is only on one, it puts them at a disadvantage.

Man people. This stuff isn't rocket science. It's pretty basic.

Ok - who cares? Apple is the only one that should care. Why do you care? What stakes are in it for you to care SOOO much that Apple is not on any other carrier? Go get an Android and be happy then.

I don't get why people care so much about this issue. Who gives a crap. Oh wait, it's all the people who CAN'T get the iPhone because of the carrier they are on.

Got it!