Apple's 'game' is constantly evolving.
And that's
exactly the problem. They are constantly evolving, but the Wireless industry evolves at a way slower pace, is mired in regulatory scrutiny, and involves dealing with the politics of dealing with other carriers on local and long distance levels. Running a wireless network is a little
too old and mundane for Apple.
Not to mention, you're only looking at this on a local scale. The iPhone on the other hand is a
global device. Say Apple does get a network going in the US. Great! Now, Apple would have to repeat the process for 95 other countries to get the same level of coverage and availability they currently have dealing with international carriers.
Better to work on the devices, and let the wireless carriers worry about the networks. Besides, Apple's current arrangement is a very comfortable one: the wireless carriers sell and market the devices beyond Apple's retail reach,
they provide the network,
they do the billing,
they extend subsidies to lower the cost of the devices,
they handle the credit checks, account maintenance and upkeep of the infrastructure,
they worry about data spikes and coverage issues and take the PR beating when service is perceived to be poor, and Apple just sits back and rakes in a share of the data plan revenue. Why
would Apple want to change this arrangement?
To limit Apple to their past practises is unrealistic, these guys like to break ground.
Creating a wireless network is not groundbreaking. It's the same reason Apple doesn't go head to head with Google and develop a search engine. Other companies have already been there and done that, and they do it well. Apple creating one of its own is wasted energy that can be devoted instead to other products.
Didn't they just buy up a huge amount of land that they're going to use for server space? Service provision is also in Apple's agenda.
Cloud computing is not the same is building out a data network.
The point of Verizon not having covered all the country means what exactly?
It means that with companies like Verizon, AT&T, O2, Rogers, Bell Mobility, etc. ad naseum already having a 20+ year head start on cellular network build-out, there's no need to re-invent the wheel.
Apple would be taking in loans and investments,
Apple is debt-averse. They currently have zero debt, and I doubt they have plans, especially in the current unfavorable credit climate, to take on any for the foreseeable future. This would be especially true for a project that has no clear benefits or offers anything different from what's out there now.
Even if it flops, they can still sell or hire off the data towers.
To who exactly? Most of this network would already overlap the coverage of existing networks. Wireless companies aren't going to duplicate coverage they already have built out on their own or previously acquired.
Bottom line: other companies are already well into the game of providing a network. There is no need to bother duplicating what's out there.
