iPhone doesn't work in…

A VERY interesting piece I got from todays newpaper

"Customers in several states WILL NOT be able to take advantage of Apple's new iPhone, because of lack of a network offered by the carrier -AT&T's Cingular Wireless

This WILL start to ply out in the media, and WILL have an effect on their stock price, and following (for awhile)

Alaska
Colorado
North Dakaota
South Dakota
Idaho
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hamphire
upstate New York
Oregon
Utah
Vermont and
Wyoming among other states!

Now these may seem like small states, or not that big of a deal to some folks, but I don't see how this can possiblie be the best way to announcing a new product. Maybe this is why Steve Jobs has said they hope to sell only 10,000,000 the contract / service doesn't offer the service to the other 30 + million buyers out there?

If, (and he had to know the coverage that is available) Steve knew this, maybe he should have had an special announcement / SelectMacExpo / just for those folks who are going to be able to enjoy, purchase and use this new phone.

Sure seems short sighted of Apple / Mr. Jobs, and a great job (but a bad one as well) - by AT&T to be the only source for the iPhone at this time.

If (and I suspect it will) - this issue comes to the for-front, I can't see Apple not adding carrieers ASAP - they can't afford the bad press they get enough of that already.

And what about that special ad for the SuperBowl? Let's hope it isn't for the iPhone (and is for the Beatles & iTunes) - as it WOULD be a hugh waste of money to tell so many folks about something, they can't use.

Skip

and it turns out NOT to be 20% of the market place, as AT&T even in the states they are in DO NOT HAVE FULL coverage. Some estimates have the coverage at less then 10% in those areas.

Now I guess we could hope, that this is the start of AT&T going on a buying spree and purchasing other phone companys -

Yes I know (I think) that Steve Jobs / Apple has done some research, and knows what they are doing, but it just looks like, they are telling a lot of potential customers - Thanks but no thanks.

Selling the iPhone to anyone who would care to buy it, and letting them get service where they are currently getting it, seems like a great way - to sell MILLIONS more of the phones, and after all, aren't they doing this for the money?