Will people will iPhones have to give them up? Or does AT&T just stop selling iPhones? How does that all work?
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What happens when AT&T's contract or whatever ever expires with Apple
- Thread starter iLoveMyApple
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Your sarcasm isn't needed.
Your reply indicates you expected this turn of events.
Should be the same as with any other phone, exclusive or not...
ATT can keep selling it if they wish, and you can continue to use it if you wish.
ATT can keep selling it if they wish, and you can continue to use it if you wish.
The end of the exclusivity agreement between AT&T and Apple will simply mean that Apple will no longer be contractually obliged to only sell its iPhones exclusively through AT&T. At that point, Apple will choose one of several options:
1) Seek out a new exclusive partner for the iPhone
2) Renegotiate a better exclusive agreement with AT&T
3) Sell the iPhone on the open market through any willing carrier who's technologically capable of taking it on. (Note this does not necessarily imply the iPhones would be "unlocked" -- just that they may be sold with different carrier locks depending on which carrier sells it to you.)
4) Get out of the cell phone business entirely
Option 4 is not going to happen. Option 1 is indeed a possibility, but I think it's unlikely. Options 2 or 3 seem most likely.
Any existing AT&T customers who already have iPhones will almost certainly continue to be able to get service through AT&T no matter what happens to the exclusivity agreement in the future.
1) Seek out a new exclusive partner for the iPhone
2) Renegotiate a better exclusive agreement with AT&T
3) Sell the iPhone on the open market through any willing carrier who's technologically capable of taking it on. (Note this does not necessarily imply the iPhones would be "unlocked" -- just that they may be sold with different carrier locks depending on which carrier sells it to you.)
4) Get out of the cell phone business entirely
Option 4 is not going to happen. Option 1 is indeed a possibility, but I think it's unlikely. Options 2 or 3 seem most likely.
Any existing AT&T customers who already have iPhones will almost certainly continue to be able to get service through AT&T no matter what happens to the exclusivity agreement in the future.
It's an exclusivity contract. NO, you won't have to give your friggin' phone up. It just means that Apple isn't bound to deal with just AT&T after that point. AT&T probably pays Apple a little for that deal, which would mean Apple would lose a little kickback. Doesn't really mean much for end users unless you want to switch services.
Your sarcasm isn't needed.
Your rudeness probably isn't either, especially when he answered the question you asked. Oh, and the thread title makes my head hurt.
Probably depends on the state of the networks at the time. If 4G/LTE is out and Verizon has it, then the iPhone will probably show up on both big networks, unless they negotiate/renegotiate a deal with Apple.
If no 4G/LTE at the time, then probably not much is going to happen. T-Mobile maybe.
If no 4G/LTE at the time, then probably not much is going to happen. T-Mobile maybe.
T-Mobile will never get it. The network so ****** in the U.S. that Apple would never consider them.
LTE won't be stable and mature enough for a Verizon iPhone when the contract with at&t expires.