Where have you been? It turned out not to be five years. It was two years, got renewed and now ends next summer. Even ATT says they're trying to renegotiate again.
Interesting, my bullet might have been unclear. AT&T Exclusivity separate from a ban on CDMA compatible iPhones.
This is what I'd read early on, and that it became convoluted into the notion that the AT&T exclusivity was 5 years instead of the 3 it turned out to be (very early on). The "no CDMA iPhone for 5 years" part has never been refuted or contradicted. Considering how people tend to glaze over details, it doesn't sound like AT&T or Apple will EVER have to refute or comment on it either. They'll be allowed to get away with generic statements until the 5 years is up, and by that time, no one will care.
Wrong. Verizon is simply installing its own store on WM and Blackberry phones. Those users can still buy from any store, though, as always.
No. I'm sure I'm quite right here, as draconian as it sounds. Verizon isn't "simply installing" anything. They WILL NOT SELL a phone that doesn't have their App Store installed and other App Stores NOT PRESENT. This is, as they say, a NON-STARTER, as Apple's system requires pre-installation of the AppStore and requires the AppStore be THE exclusive outlet for iPhone apps.
Verizon is not coming up with its own mobile operating system that handset makes will have to use. Instead, what they're doing is reportedly demanding that any mobile phone sold by Verizon comes with default access to only Verizon's app store, Ryan Hughes, VP Partner Management told GigaOM. That includes popular smart phone makers like Windows Mobile, Android, Blackberry and Palm.
If you'd rather access the Android Marketplace, Blackberry App World or any of the other app stores, you can still do that by downloading the store onto your phone or by visiting the app store online.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/168361/verizons_app_store_plans_likely_to_irk_phone_makers.html
That wouldn't be surprising, but I've never heard that. Got a source? Hopefully not the same source for the previous myths.
The last two are hardly myths, although I'll agree much has been confused over the years. This last one? WSJ did an article about why the iPhone didn't come to Verizon, and they specifically talked about Verizon not wanting to give Apple as much access to the consumer as Apple wanted. We later learned that Apple intended to allow customer activation through iTunes in order to facilitate sales through the Apple Store. I think 1+1=2 on this one, but you can draw your own conclusion. The nature of Verizon's network is NOT the same as GSM. When they talk about "there are too many mobile operating systems to work with and certifying applications across eight or nine operating systems, plus many different handsets, has slowed the delivery of new software to subscribers." this really the nature of their network. Whether its VCAST or VZNavigator, Verizon really wants to be the "go to", and refuses steadfastly to be a "dumb pipe".
First, the rest of the world isn't buying iPhones as much as Americans are. Basically, the USA is buying a hundred times as many by population. Tapping the CDMA population could be a market as large as the rest of the world.
The juice isn't worth the squeeze. At the end of the day, either they come out with a different phone, or they integrate it all into one new model. I'd say they would be better off not investing time into a network that has policies so hostile to smart-phone-manufacturer/consumer relationships. If Verizon had a more open-door policy, it would be a different story, but that's simply not their business model (neither for revenue NOR for business practices). Plus, I'd lay odds that Apple might have to take a chance on a more unpredicatable chipset to join Quad-Band GSM/CDMA/LTE into one low battery-usage, high performance handset. Apple has enough trouble with its GSM chipset field testing. I'd almost ask why such a hypothetical beast *wouldn't* explode... or send uncommon amounts of excess radiation. Why open yourself up for such problems? Greed? Nah. Apple is too patient to want to go for the full-monty.
Second, where do you get the R&D cost thing? Good grief. Radios are not hard. Every phone maker does it.
I see. Well, you put it so simply... why wouldn't I just agree?
If Apple were knocking off phones left and right, and had a dozen skus, I'd agree with you.
"Hey, why not, throw another shrimp on the barbie!" Unfortunately, Apple encounters HUGE risks of delay when chipsets or certain parts do not function properly in production testing. Doing an "all-in-one" would be a triumph for this level of phone... but by the time it was sufficiently tested and ready, I suspect it would be far later than they would like it to be. Devil's advocate though? I suspect Apple has already designed a rudimentary CDMA iPhone. I just don't see this thing going anywhere but into Apple's prototype museum.
And remember that Apple already changed once when they added a CDMA radio to get 3G.
With such distinct differences between UMTS (W-CDMA) and CDMA, I can't see how anyone could capitalize on any tenuous relationship between the two other than being able to reuse the letters maybe?
Please send emergency medical services to this location. The author of this message has just gone into shock.
Considering all of these HUGE, INSURMOUNTABLE hurdles... let's all just agree that the iPhone will NEVER, EVER be on Verizon and be done with it. At the end of the day, there will be plenty of other great phones coming out on the Verizon network... plus, Apple will have other meaningful relationships with Verizon. No need to make everything about a connection that will never happen and doesn't need to.
~ CB
