There’s always speculation about where the iPhone 3G will pop up next, but it seems like there’s some real solid backing for this latest rumor. The iPhone may very well be available for Verizon EVDO service in 2009.
Over at 9 to 5 Mac, several reasons are offered up about why this Verizon/Apple pairing shouldn’t be a surprise:
- Apple has been scouting out EVDO and CDMA Engineers for months in their online iPhone job postings (here, here, here and here). Yes, some of these skills overlap with UTMS and CDMA can also refer to the broad swath of 3G Technologies…but come on…don’t put “EVDO” on the job description if it ain’t true.. (BTW, WiMax is also littered throughout Apple’s Job postings…interesting/digress)
- No matter how big AT&T is and how much range they cover, leaving out Verizon and to a lesser extent Sprint, will be eliminating a broad swath of the US wireless market. If Apple is serious about competing with Blackberry, Symbian and Android, they will have to broaden their carrier footprint. One carrier does not a platform make. Apple will need a way to grow its market after AT&T is saturated.
- LTE technology won’t be mature until well into 2010. Apple can’t afford to wait that long to broaden its carrier footprint
- Who is happy with Rogers in Canada (*crickets*)? EVDO opens up to new carriers there as well.
- Verizon wireless is a partnership between Verizon communications and Vodafone. Vodafone, you’ll recall, has contracts with Apple for iPhones in around 15 markets around the world. Apple has a working relationship with Vodafone (and Tmobile obviously).
- Apple has just started going “Open” in a few markets, including Hong Kong. This will likely increase the number of unlocked 3G iPhones on the world market (South Africa is also open). While this won’t benefit Verizon directly, it certainly shows that Apple is considering being more “carrier agnostic.”
- Tim Cook, famously said that Apple wasn’t married to the one carrier/country model. As Apple expands, it is going more and more open.
- Verizon’s iPhone Cheat sheet was weak and their arguments about Stevo getting old were silly. They’d rather play ball with Apple than try to defend itself against it.
- Apple originally wanted to go with Verizon for the iPhone. Some of the original disagreements included “not carrying the iPhone at Best Buy and hardware reliability” – see quote below. AT&T was a second choice. When Verizon balked, Apple went to AT&T…Think Verizon is happy about that decision (no) or willing to reconsider Apple’s overtures (yes)?
Rumor has it the announcement for the Apple going over to Verizon would be revealed at Macworld 2009. Very interesting, to say the least.
[via 9 to 5 Mac]
There’s just that little exclusivity deal that apple struck with AT&T until 2012. Maybe their beefing up their CDMA departments so they can bring the iPhone to countries where GSM isn’t available. Think people.
Blabidy bla…. contracts are meant to be broken…. if.. and a big IF there is, in fact, a contract actually through to 2012. Care to show some hard proof of that other than word of mouth traveled all over the internet? Of course that is what this rumor is as well so I don’t have much ground to argue… but I guess we’ll see come Macworld!!
There is no reason why apple would not bring the iPhone to CDMA and that is network security and Verizon will not budge on that. The only way then that this will work is for apple to modify it’s software in some way to meet Verizon’s standard… I don’t really see this happening but I hope it does. A contract may or may not be there, but then there is nothing to stop Apple form making a “macPhone” or anyother name and make it for Verizon as every other manufacturer has done.
contract shmontract. there’s no proof of this contract at all.
The only proof I’ve seen is proof that anyone who says there’s a contract has no fucking clue as to what they’re talking about. In the last twenty minutes I’ve read people saying there is a contract until 2009, 2010, and 2012 now. So clearly there’s no contract other than the imaginary one ATT wants everyone to believe their in with Apple, in fear of losing millions of customers who suffer with ATT’s service just so they can have their sweetass iphones.
Is there any updates to this discussion?
(I am hoping Verizon will carry the iPhone in 2009.)
Whatever contract AT&T has with Apple regarding the iPhone isn’t an insurmountable problem. AT&Ts pathetic 3G effort and lack of coverage-as-promised (over and over and over) could be the only crack that Apple’s lawyers would need. Verizon has +-80 million customers and AT&T has 60+ million. All of these are prospective buyers of a CDMA/GSM iPhone. Must make Verizon AND Apple salivate…
Just so everything is clear. ATT HAS an EXCLUSIVE contract through 2012. This was part of the deal they signed with Apple. Where they will expand to Verison after that is in question but until then THEY CANNOT AND WONT, so please keep dreaming Verison customers.
Just to get the exclusivity issue out of the way, the original contract Apple had with ATT was until 2012, but when Apple released the iPhone 3G, they only extended the exclusivity contract until 2010. And now that Macworld 09 is over, I feel that Apple may release an iPhone for Verizon at WWDC 09. And like Dana said, contracts were made to be broken. And with all of these different contract dates, i would have to agree and wonder if there even is a contract. Either way, i think the iPhone may be announced at WWDC 09, but maybe it wont be released until the end of the year or the beginning of 2010. Either way, we will just have to wait and see, but if you ask me, it is going to happen and soon.
(and i am ready for it, because i have verizon. i hope it comes soon cuz im reluctant to swith to att cuz of the lack of service where i live.)
well, all i know, is that i would be super glad if the iphone will switch to VWZ…
and switching my carrier is not even close to in veiw, becuse were i live AT&T is so bad, to get a signal you need to go outside!!!
(If there is any apple workers who work w/ the iphone plz work hard to get it on VZW)
(Also if there is any VZW workers who work w/ contracts reading this plz work hard to get the iphone with you! Cuz just think, so many ppl are switching to AT&T to use the iphone, if you guys could be a carrier, just think how many would go to you guys!!! and plus, im telling you, it will give a major reason for famleys to go VZW [dad has a iphone, mom has a blackberry kids have Voyager or somehting...] SO YEA, PLZ ASK APPLE FOR THE IPHONE!!!!)
I switched from Verizon to ATT to get the iphone and it was my favorite phone in hand, but service was worse than Tmobile. ATT was the worst service ever. I switched back to Verizon and havent dropped a call yet. If Apple comes out with an iphone or iphone alternative for Verizon 50-75% of ATT customers will switch over to Verizon. ATT will go bankrupt….and they’ll be no bailout for them…
ATT service was so bad I called to cancel my service and the call dropped 5 times while I was on the phone with the service rep. ATT’s slogan should be “fewer bars in fewer places.”
wow thank you justin for finally clearing that up for everybody yes the conract for the i phone to be exclusive to at&t really exists and it is only till 2010 thats why there is talk of the iphone being with verizon early 2011, and i can not wait untill it comes to verizon i was actually thinking about switching to at&t for the iphone but decided not too because there service is terrible my friends are always dropping phone calls, and they are always having problems with their messaging services….good thing i didnt switch! i will be one of the first in line when the i phone comes to verizon!
I am not sure what to believe on the iphone issue. There are so many rumors on if there is a contract, when that said contract ends, and when Apple will be bringing the iPhone to Verizon. It seems to change on every post or blog that I see about it. I am at the end of my 2 years with Verizon and I have researched AT&T and they are just so bad in terms of pricing and coverage. I could not beleive what they were charging for the iPhone service. I have unlimited everything on my Verizon phone now, and it is more then 1/2 what At&t charges. I have decided not to switch, but it is tough because I REALLY want an iphone. If Verizon was to start carrying this phone, then i would be a happy girl!
While speaking with an AT&T rep about future dealings with a new IPhone the rep accidentally (possibly) let slip that AT&T will NOT be getting the new IPhone. Instead they will be getting updated software. So if AT&T does not get the new IPhone, who does if not Verizon?
@Kandis: Verizon can’t get the new iPhone, unless it is redesigned to be a CDMA phone. The current iPhones are GSM so the only other USA carrier who could get the iPhone would be T-Mobile. A CDMA iPhone would be a big deal and would require a major announcement from Apple about new hardware and an end to their exclusivity with AT&T.
And I don’t care how often some of you guys repeat the “fact” of an exclusive deal between Apple and AT&T until 2010 or 2011 or 2012, or whatever; it’s just a rumor. None of you have seen the contract that Apple and AT&T signed. I’ll guarantee you that no matter how long the contract is for, there are numerous “out” clauses for Apple in the contract; for instance if the iPhone fails to meet certain sales figures or fails to grow in sales by a certain percentage per quarter, etc., that will allow Apple to end the contract early. There’s no way Apple would lock itself into a 5 year exclusive contract without any escape clauses.
I hate my Storm. I think it glitches, it’s slow and recently I upgraded and I had a very poor experience with VZW customer service. I basically fixed my own problem then I had a couple more questions and they hung up on me not because I was rude or inconsiderate but because they didnt have the answers. Anyway I really want the Iphone but Im reluctant to switch to AT&T for one reason only I have a real good deal on my cell phone plan at this time. I think verizon has steadily gotten worse over the years customer service, coverage, drop calls, etc.
I just need some explanation why wont apple open up verizon and let them aquire the iphone. Do they not want more money and more people using their products. Apple products are like a plague it just spreads and spreads. Come on Apple step your game up and take my money and all my friends money too
Actually the year in which the contract ends has been disclosed just not exact month and day. The contract ends somewhere in 2010, but no one knows the exact date. I personally hope there is a CDMA/EVDO format available for Verizon consumers because that would create a better market not just for people where GSM sucks, but for Verizon and Apple.
1. The ATT exclusivity contract ends in 2010.
2. There will not be a CDMA/EV-DO phone since EV-DO is too slow for Apple’s liking.
3. That said, the new 2011 iPhone will a CDMA/LTE hybrid, since the initial LTE network is data only, and the CDMA network is the dominant voice network in the U.S.
4. However, the LTE network will not be available for everyone until 2013, meaning only New York City, Southern California and Washington DC, Boston and Seattle will have the networks in 2011 and the first part of 2012.
Hope this clears things up.
The Apple CDMA device is planned to release in Q3 of 2010 on VZW. Launch parties and testing in the top markets have already begun for LTE. So 2013 is completely incorrect. VZW rolled out EVDO and even Rev-A in a shorter time frame than that; they have been working on the LTE network for some time. Best guess on the LTE would be at least the top 100 markets will be rolled out by EOY 2010. This is exactly the same way EVDO, V-Cast TV and other initiatives have been rolled out.
I don’t know where some of you get your information but you clearly have NO idea about actual facts. This is how rumors begin and the poorly informed people spread. If you don’t actually know for yourself don’t spread your assumptions.
I can assure you that any rep in customer care or a store location has NO idea about this type of information no matter what they think. This type of information is extremely confidential and not passed down to “peons”. This goes both for AT&T and VZW; so they didn’t “accidentally” slip…
wow, they DESPREATLY need an iphone for verizon. i had to switch to at@t ( definatly NOT the best net work) and hate the iphone for at@t. I WANT VERIZON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol so ya, they need one……
Verizon is the best carrier in the world. If verizon gets the iphone, att wil go bankrupt and will be gone forever. if it wasnt for that phone, they would have been gone years ago. verizon will get the iphone in 2010. byebye att.. all of your customers will go to verizon since they coverage is SO much better…. i cant wait till they get it, i will wait in line for a month if i need to, to get it. i will be the 1st person in the world to get that phone. i promise. I hope they get it soon. Verizon had 5X att coverage. come on verizon get the phone. we want it, we need it, we cant live without it. i wonder how much it will cost? im hoping it will be FREE with a new contract. what do u all think about that? think they will make it free so they get all the other companys customers. verizon might have 200 million customers soon. maybe if they do, i can get a job with them. then i can get the iphone for free. please please get that phone, as u can see it will change my life.
Marty
Wow! I can’t believe the Sounders season starts in 3 weeks. Looking forward for opening night.
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