So, I am thinking about an iPhone but I hear something about Apple's contract with AT&T expiring sometime in 2010 but I haven't been able to find a particular date. Does anyone know when exactly it is? I am thinking if it is sometime soon I should wait to see what happens with that. Maybe a new iPhone coming out or switching carriers?
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Apple contract with AT&T
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Nobody knows the particular details. It may even be that Apple re-signed with AT&T for yet another period of exclusivity.
Yes, new iPhone coming out sometime within the next several months, no doubt. No, no sign of Apple ditching AT&T. Verizon certainly does seem to be out of the picture. Maybe in 2012 once their LTE network is up and running, otherwise hard to fathom that Apple would make the hardware switch to offer a CDMA version iPhone.
Because there is no date published - and since Apple answered no questions about it in the shareholder meeting this week, I think it is safe to say that ATT is a lock at least through this year.
you never know...
the second contract that apple signed with at&t will be up in june...i personally think that if an extension had been signed, we would have heard about it...i think it would be foolish for apple not to expand their network presence in the united states...time will ultimately tell though as the deadline draws nigh...
the second contract that apple signed with at&t will be up in june...i personally think that if an extension had been signed, we would have heard about it...i think it would be foolish for apple not to expand their network presence in the united states...time will ultimately tell though as the deadline draws nigh...
I think there's much more that goes into signing with Verizon than the iPhone hardware. Apple got a lot of rhythm from AT&T, and the iPhone marketing concepts broke all kinds of new wireless-sales-paradigm ground. I can easily envision deal-breaking demands coming from both the Apple and Verizon sides of the negotiating table.
It's not leaving AT&T exclusivity any time soon.
If you want to hope and wait it's up to you.
It might be another 3+ years.
If you want to hope and wait it's up to you.
It might be another 3+ years.
3+ years??
my understanding is that the iphone has 60% market share in europe because they are not limited to one carrier...they must be licking their chops to take advantage of that much market share here in the u.s. i'm sure a lot more goes into negotiations but their driving force to maximize market share is likely to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way...also last year they only signed a one year agreement with at&t...if everything were hunky dorey they probably would have signed a 2 year deal again...
my understanding is that the iphone has 60% market share in europe because they are not limited to one carrier...they must be licking their chops to take advantage of that much market share here in the u.s. i'm sure a lot more goes into negotiations but their driving force to maximize market share is likely to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way...also last year they only signed a one year agreement with at&t...if everything were hunky dorey they probably would have signed a 2 year deal again...
AT&T + Apple exclusivity isn't going anywhere soon. You can hope and wait all you want, it won't happen anytime in the next 3-4 years.
Think about it this way, though.
How many of those carriers use the same technology for their network? IIRC, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, etc., all use GSM. Possibly, they may use different bands, but still use GSM. This allows Apple to use the same hardware to be used on those carriers.
US? Not so. ATT and T-Mobile. That's it. Verizon is screwed because of CDMA. It would cost more to Apple to make the phone with two different sets of hardware than to cover Verizon's market. So while people think on a business perspective that the more marketshare, the better, they aren't taking into account how much it would cost to make the unit, and if that costs more than what they'd make in return per service, it's not worth it.
BL.
I don't think it's about the technical challenges. I'll bet that's a pretty simple fix compared to getting Verizon to giving Apple a favorable marketing agreement. They both have a lot at stake - Verizon with other phone mfgrs and Apple with AT&T and anything they negotiate now has to fit somehow with deals they've negotiated previously.
Cost? That is not a valid reason. Adding a CDMA chip in their ain't that hard and would not be an excuse.
However, having two different models in the US would confuse many customers. Take this example, Joe buys two Verizon iPhone's. Then after a while, say 5 months, moves to a place where Verizon is crap and AT&T is better. Joe decides to move his family to AT&T, but he can't? Why? Because his iPhone is not AT&T compatible even though AT&T sells the iPhone. Who's going to explain this to him? A rep? Perhaps, but it'll create many issues like this in which the end customer will be confused and irritated.
That is one stronger reason than cost. Now, Apple won't do it because it has a vindictive side. The one that is costing Verizon now since they turned Apple down back in 1st Gen dealings.
Confuse the customer? I don't think that is a vaild argument - has that hurt RIM (who has hansets on all carriers)? Did it hurt the Razor? I think *most* customers realize they can't take take their hardware to a different carrier. Now the problem with control/who is in charge between Verizon and Apple is probably the main reason Apple is on ATT in the US.
European wireless providers and US don't have anything in common besides AT&T.
Tmobile uses an unsupported 3G signal and sprint and verizon a whole different system. Noone knows how many years it's Apples exclusive aggreement with AT&T. If you want to sit and wait some more it's up to you.
And the two different model problem can easily be solve as well by coping what RIM did with all their CDMA blackberriers. The CDMA BB all contain the chips to do both GSM and CDMA.
And that would add bulk to the already cramped device. No thanks. Keep Verizon away.
I don't think it's that simple as just slaping a CDMA chip. Not only they would need to make the iPhone fatter/bigger but would have to redo the whole OS to handle CDMA and it's only talk and no data limitations and many other things.
Its doable but like I said they would have to redesign the phone casing, logic board, added chips placement and that will take more room abviously than the current models specs.
And will also need to make a compatible Iphone OS for dual GSM/CDMA frequency iPhone models.
Is it worth it for them to make their device compatible to an old, soon to be retired system for a year or 2 span? Maybe, maybe not.
Will they ever come to an agreement with Verizon and will they meet all Apple demands and freedom they currently have with AT&T?
Will AT&T pay them tons of money and do everything in their power to stay with them exclusive like they did with the iPad? Noone really knows those things.
But my guess is not going to happen this year or for a few more at least.
Everyone can assume and believe whatever they want. We wont really know untill its official. And Judging by those "Expert" rumors about the iPad going to Verizon we know that noone had a clue what they were talking about.
This 100 times and more. I even lol'd hard at the Verizon tweet that said big announcement the same week the iPad was announced. I bet it wa sa bucket of cold water to know AT&T was going to carry it again.
Yes, that week the nonsense was off the roof
Everyone bought it and they were like ok so now that Verizon got the iPad the iPhone is next to come this Summer.
Not
This thread was a classic:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/853944/
And this post also
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/9148777/
Yes, that week the nonsense was off the roof
Everyone bought it and they were like ok so now that Verizon got the iPad the iPhone is next to come this Summer.
Not
This thread was a classic:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/853944/
And this post also
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/9148777/
Whatever happened to VZWnews? I click it to see what they say now and link is dead.
its like the same philosophy as apple with flash player there not going to add old and soon to be useless technology. they will stick with sim and if anything only go to those types of networks t-moble ect....
I agree.
They look ahead, they dont look back.
And they are also very stubborn.