Will Apple Ditch Carrier Exclusivity For The iPhone?
This article seems to think they will have to. I certainly hope they will and that they will do so soon. As I’ve said before, the locked in contract with O2 is honestly the thing that’s keeping me from getting one.
iPhone sales would go through the roof if they opened up the carriers. I expect this will happen relatively soon. Bring on the 3G iPhone I can use on Vodafone!
related articles
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- iPhone Tariff Cuts (January 30th, 2008)
February 5th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I think I heard that ATT/Cingular pays Apple something like $10/month per contract for every phone sold. Or vice versa. Someone told me this and it made sense in the moment, but it slips my mind. Basically they are both benefitting from limiting the phone’s release to one carrier for now.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I have heard similar although I believe it’s Apple paying ATT. If that’s the case, it’s even more reason for Apple to get rid of exclusive carriers.
It made sense to go with the big boys in wireless when it came out because Apple wasn’t a player in the market. Who knows, the iPhone could have potentially been a huge flop and then Apple would stand to lose a great dea. ATT backing them up ensured some good market penetration early on.
However the iPhone has taken off on it’s own merits. Everyone has heard of it and Apple is really able to write it’s own ticket now rather than subsidizing ATT/O2 etc. If those big boys only have 40% of the market, that removes 60% of the potential market for Apple. I don’t think they’re going to stay with this plan.
February 5th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
overall to me it makes no sense for apple’s model. they’ve always made their money on the hardware.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I also don’t understand why Apple would want to hinder its growth potential by retaining carrier exclusivity. I realize that the iphone has experienced unprecedented popularity among consumers despite being limited to only individuals on the ATT network, yet being a Verizon user myself, it seems that if it were to become available to all providers it would be a win-win situation for both consumers and Apple alike.
February 17th, 2008 at 4:37 am
I sure hope that Apple opens up to Verizon. I”d love to have an iPhone!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I recently ‘downgraded’ my mobile phone - I have an iPod… I have a laptop… I have a digital camera… and my phone makes/recieves calls and sends text messages. People trying to sell me phones get confused… they ask me what I want a telephone for, and when I say ‘making calls’ they ask me ‘what about a camera or listening to music?’… It’s a sodding phone - as long as it makes and takes calls, I’m good, sending texts is a bonus.
when will we realise that we don’t really need a phone that does 500 things, other than make calls/send texts, unless it does your whole job for you.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:42 am
We finally got at&t here, finally I can have the glorious iphone! I think that eventually at&t;s exclusitivity of the iphone will end. Its going to be old news very soon… I remember when only a few companies had the razr now all of them do.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I think it would be great if iPhone were available on all networks. I don’t want to be forced into signing up with AT&T because I want an iPhone. Humph!