I really want an iPhone, but I can't switch services because I'm on a family plan and my dad is not about to switch providers... so does anyone know when/if the iPhone and Verizon will pair up?
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Will the iPhone ever be a part of a Verizon Wireless service plan?
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2012 is a long ways away for the iPhone. Verizon isn't the worse service in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's runner-up to Sprint..... lol 
It would be darling to have Verizon with the iPhone.
I've never had problems with Verizon in SF, northern California, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Denver Boulder, Seattle. My AT&T used to crap out for some reason at certain intersections in the suburbs, but that was 8 years ago.
I've never had problems with Verizon in SF, northern California, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Denver Boulder, Seattle. My AT&T used to crap out for some reason at certain intersections in the suburbs, but that was 8 years ago.
I seriously doubt this. They wouldn't just drop customers who had iPhones over the 5 years it had been on ATT.
You'll have to wait the 4 more years, but to be honest, I'd have to call bollocks.
BL.
What's with all the 2012 comments?
The five year exclusive story is old, and few experienced people believed it. Why would Apple trap themselves like that? An exclusive isn't really a good thing for Apple, only for ATT.
The later, far more believable, story is that the original contract was only for two years, and was extended until mid-2010.
ATT's CEO and the iPhone 3G
"In exchange for its payout, AT&T got a year extension, into 2010, on its exclusive distribution deal with Apple, people familiar with the matter say. Sources asked to not be named because the terms are confidential."
"Under the original iPhone contract, Apple had the right to offer the device to other carriers beginning in 2009."
The five year exclusive story is old, and few experienced people believed it. Why would Apple trap themselves like that? An exclusive isn't really a good thing for Apple, only for ATT.
The later, far more believable, story is that the original contract was only for two years, and was extended until mid-2010.
ATT's CEO and the iPhone 3G
"In exchange for its payout, AT&T got a year extension, into 2010, on its exclusive distribution deal with Apple, people familiar with the matter say. Sources asked to not be named because the terms are confidential."
"Under the original iPhone contract, Apple had the right to offer the device to other carriers beginning in 2009."
No sorry that is not what most people believe.
Given the issues with trying to optimize this phone for One US network, let a lone another, I don't see anything either than AT&T for lonnnng time. Maintaining overall quality is more important to Apple. Not confusing their customers who would constantly be unhappy with their service and demanding to change to the "better" one for their area... Also very important to Apple.
I don't understand why so many people here make up fantasies, and as long as no hard evidence proves them wrong, they drag it around
from thread to thread.
There is no Verizon Iphone and there probably never will be.
Given the issues with trying to optimize this phone for One US network, let a lone another, I don't see anything either than AT&T for lonnnng time. Maintaining overall quality is more important to Apple. Not confusing their customers who would constantly be unhappy with their service and demanding to change to the "better" one for their area... Also very important to Apple.
I don't understand why so many people here make up fantasies, and as long as no hard evidence proves them wrong, they drag it around
from thread to thread.
There is no Verizon Iphone and there probably never will be.
It will never be offered on Verizon by Apple.
The only way the iPhone will EVER be on a Verizon network is if they port both data and voice to LTE instead of just data.
Then, a future LTE iPhone could be unlocked and used on their LTE network.
But if they keep their voice communications on CDMA protocols, there will NEVER be a Verizon iPhone.
They had their chance, they blew it. Forget about them; they're idiots.
The only way the iPhone will EVER be on a Verizon network is if they port both data and voice to LTE instead of just data.
Then, a future LTE iPhone could be unlocked and used on their LTE network.
But if they keep their voice communications on CDMA protocols, there will NEVER be a Verizon iPhone.
They had their chance, they blew it. Forget about them; they're idiots.
The truth is no one knows what the original contract with AT&T is or when the exclusivity runs out. The argument against Apple making a CDMA iPhone is a strong one, but Verizon may change things eventually, perhaps as soon as 4G is available. Or maybe Apple really will make a CDMA version. Not likely, perhaps, but not entirely out of the question.
It will never be offered on Verizon by Apple.
The only way the iPhone will EVER be on a Verizon network is if they port both data and voice to LTE instead of just data.
Then, a future LTE iPhone could be unlocked and used on their LTE network.
But if they keep their voice communications on CDMA protocols, there will NEVER be a Verizon iPhone.
They had their chance, they blew it. Forget about them; they're idiots.
This is true as well, but from a technical standpoint, if they really wanted to, they could do LTE for the "next" model at any given time.
Thing is, like you said, they won't.
Worst decisions in history:
1. Red Sox trade Babe Ruth to Yankees
2. Verizon tells Apple to take a hike
Considering the entire planet it seems uses gsm and only Verizon uses CDMA it would seem dumb for Apple to market the iPhone to all these markets and then pull it out and switch to something that can only be used in this country. Untill everyone gets on the same standard signal (yeah right) I dont see Apple going to Verizon, at least not exclusively. They may make a CDMA version, but I'm sure that would piss of AT&T pretty bad... so yeah. Hell you can't even use your 3g iPhone on T-Mobile here because the 3g signals are different.
Can't we all just get along?
Can't we all just get along?
Considering the entire planet it seems uses gsm and only Verizon uses CDMA it would seem dumb for Apple to market the iPhone to all these markets and then pull it out and switch to something that can only be used in this country. Untill everyone gets on the same standard signal (yeah right) I dont see Apple going to Verizon, at least not exclusively. They may make a CDMA version, but I'm sure that would piss of AT&T pretty bad... so yeah. Hell you can't even use your 3g iPhone on T-Mobile here because the 3g signals are different.
Can't we all just get along?
I don't understand this argument. How many other phone companies have the same phone on multiple networks? I think this is a poor argument. In addition, as was pointed out in one of the other 7,374,382,472 threads on this topic, the majority of iPhone sales have been in the US, and Verizon would add A LOT to those sales figures. I'm thinking if there was an opportunity to go to Verizon, Apple would do it. Is it going to happen? I hope so, because Verizon is much better in Michigan than any other service, however I'm not holding out. When my Alltel/Verizon contract runs out, I'm getting the iPhone, on whatever network it's on.
Do you know how much money Apple is saving by only making one version of the iPhone?... tons. Also, since there is no physical keyboard, they can make the same phone for all countries.
I can't see them making a CDMA version just to make Verizon customers happy. I wouldn't mind being proved wrong though because I've been with Verizon for the past 7 years and would love to stay with them.
The cost savings is absolutely nothing compared to the sales boost they would get in North America.
Besides, the argument that Apple only has one design is false anyway:
1) Apple seems to be in a yearly redesign mode. Already there've been two models. I bet we see a third soon, don't you?
2) Apple has ALREADY changed radio chips in the first year, including the addition of WCDMA for 3G, and likely will change chips again in the future.
3) Apple originally planned to do a CDMA version for Verizon. This totally throws out the childish argument that Apple planned to stick with GSM.
Non-engineers seem to have the idea that it's so difficult to change radios. Other companies do it all the time, and Apple has done so, too.
Again, I'm not saying that they'll do a CDMA model. But technical and financial arguments against it, just don't fly. Naysayers should stick with political arguments... they're the only viable ones. For instance, I sometimes think that Verizon simply doesn't want to deal with Apple... still.
I agree completely. Verizon currently has 83.7 million U.S. subscribers. If they could sell iPhones to even 5% of that customer base, I think they would do it in a heartbeat.
It'd be great to have the iPhone on Verizon. The main thing that worries me about getting one is downgrading to AT&T coverage.
I moved from Verizon to AT&T to get the iPhone last year. It hasn't been as bad as I'd expected, but it's still not the greatest. I would probably go back to Verizon once my contract was up, if they got the iPhone and had the same pricing.
Not until Verizon actually uses a REAL/Universal wireless standard. As long as they are on CDMA/EV-DO, it will NEVER happen. Apple chose GSM/HDPA because it could be used anywhere in the world. Perhaps when Verizon moves to LTE (GSM 4G) in a few years, then we *might* see the iPhone available on Verizon.
TEG
Depending on your country, Apple is paired up with one or two providers. Last I checked, worldwide, Apple iPhone has contracts with five or six companies.
In the USA, it's currently AT&T for now but I don't have an iPhone, but use AT&T with the Motorola Razor and have thought about using the iPhone as my next phone when the service agreement expires and they told me then that they have exclusive use of the iPhone. But I will check with them in person if that's still the case at the AT&T store and see.
As for being exclusive, I assumed throughout the USA, but I am in California, and maybe it's a statewide thing. I have to double check. Parents have Verizon but work for AT&T
.EDIT: Fortune Magazine has partial list of US with AT&T, Switzerland with Swisscom, much of Europe and Africa with 02, Orange, and Vodaphone, and Asia with SingTel. There are 40 other companies in the world with iPhone, and in some countries in the near future, they may not be exclusive with Apple in their region.
It will never be offered on Verizon by Apple.
The only way the iPhone will EVER be on a Verizon network is if they port both data and voice to LTE instead of just data.
Then, a future LTE iPhone could be unlocked and used on their LTE network.
But if they keep their voice communications on CDMA protocols, there will NEVER be a Verizon iPhone.
They had their chance, they blew it. Forget about them; they're idiots.
+1