Oh Jeezuz, here we go again. The whiners are coming out in full force.
There is no reasoning with them. The iPhone will be crap until it's on Verizon. And when the Verizon network does the inevitable belly flop, the true fanboi apologists will be out in full force.
I don't see a Verizon iPhone any time soon. As I've said before, Apple isn't focused on market share, they are focused on profit. And right now they are building a platform. They obviously have a long term vision. By keeping the iPhone off of Verizon, they keep it from dominating and also keep the FTC and all the fuss about "monopoly" and government meddling at bay. I think it's perfectly reasonable to not expect an iPhone until Verizon has 4G widely deployed - that's at least 2012 in my mind. If AT&T is truly terrible in your area, as Psych_guy said: "Sucks to be you!"
We don't always get exactly what we want, when we want it. In fact, throughout human history that has hardly ever been true (I always get a kick about people bitching about the gap between the rich and the poor - you want to see a real gap? Go back to medieval Europe and ask a peasant about their opinion about the current gaps between the rich and the poor). People have more freedom and access to luxury items than ever before in human history and yet through the miracle of the Internet what do we see? That money and crap really can't buy happiness after all. What a surprise
I only have to wait one more year before I can upgrade from my 3G because in Canada, you have to sign a 3 year contract!
On the flip side, we can actually make calls
THREE years?! And people put up with that? Here in Denmark phone carriers can only make you sign 6 month contracts max. I think it's the same in most of Europe.
The WSJ review by Mr Mossburg is just super and a fine review of a fine product.. What comes through loud and clear. When will Apple do something about this handicap it is lugging around called AT&T? The damage it must be doing to Apple sales is very obvious . There are customers out there who would buy an iPhone in a flash, but they are holding off because of AT&T's poor quality of product.
It makes no sense at all. If I was in their shoes (I am not} i would also decline. Why would I buy a Rolls Royce grade product which only contains a small underpowered engine?
Hmm... Preorders of the iPhone 4 sold out in less than a day. They were selling 10x faster than the 3GS. This really, REALLY doesn't sound like handicapped sales to me. That said, I have a lady who sits right behind me at work who is exactly the kind of person you are referring to in that she really wants an iPhone but absolutely will not switch to ATT.
I see both sides of this particular issue, but way too many people seem to be trying to give the impression that the iPhone is all but unusable for making calls anywhere in the US. This simply isn't true. Yes, I understand that ATT has coverage issues in certain areas of the country, so does Verizon, Sprint, and everyone else. I'll even concede the point that the biggest thing Apple could do to increase iPhone sales would be to offer a Verizon iPhone. We'll all just have to wait and see at this point.
Finally, the iPhone is not "a phone that works, and works well" for many, many people - because of the network. The chorus of people calling for Apple to move past AT&T has been consistent and growing louder. While you may have had good experiences with your phone, many people have not. It is no accident that every single one of the major reviewers mentioned AT&T as a huge drawback to adoption of the iPhone.
If AT&T was as horrible as the whining on the Internet intimated, AT&T wouldn't be besting Verizon in new customer ads for the last three years.
Yes, there are some issues here and there - but that's the nature of cellular service. There is no one perfect carrier, and they all have issues from time to time.
To demand perfection or not expect an occasional glitch is simply unrealistic. Having said that, I have experienced a few more dropped and failed calls lately than I would like. Is it annoying? Yes. Life threatening? Not even close. Enough to make me want to drop the iPhone? Certainly not.
Quote:
As far as Android, you can laugh all you want, but you sound like the self-contented Mac users circa 1989 who were sure that Microsoft would never be able to duplicate their superior experience. Unfortunately for Apple, they did.
Uh, no they didn't. Not even close. All one has to do is compare international sales of Android to US sales. Once the iPhone does go multi-carrier in the US Android is just another niche player compared to the iPhone. And this, I'm becoming more convinced, is the real reason Apple is staying off of Verizon for the time being (well, that and Verizon traditionally being total jerks to phone manufacturers). At this point in time the last thing Apple needs is a bunch of whiny competitors trying to "compete" by over-regulation through the FTC instead of building a better experience than that of the iPhone.
Oh wait, that's happening now. Except now those arguments fall kind of flat. Believe it or not that's probably far more valuable then a few more million subscriber adds - when Apple can barely keep up with production now. Divert more phones to the US where the iPhone is already well established, or get more shipping in the rest of the world to secure world-wide domination later. If I were a long term strategic planner, I know exactly which way I would be heading (hint: where Apple is right now).
Cry all you want, I see no iPhone on Verizon any time soon.
3. I'd get an iPhone, if only the prince charming of networks had the iPhone and until then, I'm going to buy an inferior product and whine about not having the iPhone.
Many of us are extremely happy with the phone and the service. I've been a satisfied customer of Cingular/AT&T in the SFBA for about 12 years now. Never had a problem, never thought about switching. If you live in an area that has poor AT&T service, it sucks to be you. But I vote with my dollars and I'm good.
I agree with you on the rest of your post, but I'm curious about this item in particular. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does SFBA mean San Fransisco Bay Area? I had always heard that SFBA was one of the big problem areas for ATT coverage? Just find it curious that you have had such good service in what I thought was one of the troublesome markets for ATT.
I totally agree that it will be funny once Apple does release a Verizon iPhone and the flood of new customers there cause network issues for Verizon. It will be quite humorous to see some of these same whiners rejoice that they can now get a Verizon iPhone only to start complaining again weeks or months later that Verizon service now sucks.
perhaps, but you are still getting killed by ROGERS, which although may have better coverage than ATT, they charge their customers through the nose.
As for APPLE and ATT WIRELESS, i hate ATT wireless coverage. its a big reason why i haven't set to upgrade to a new phone yet. I am hoping in the fall Apple goes agnostic to all the carriers. which is the right thing to do. allow consumers to choose their wireless service, not beholden customers to one.
ie Blackberry, which has all major carriers.
I'm afraid you're in for a long wait on that one. I won't be surprised when Apple releases an iPhone on Verizon or Sprint or T-Mobile, but agnostic to ALL carriers... You are going to be waiting YEARS for that one. Someone else also made the point about supply. Right now it takes Apple months to catch up to demand when they release a new model. You know how much worse that will be when they add on a second carrier?
I would think that even when Apple does add on a second carrier it would only be practical for them to stagger carrier launches. The rumors about a Verizon iPhone this fall seems to support that idea also. I would envision a continuation of the summer ATT release, and give that launch a couple of months to taper off before a mid to late fall Verizon release. The big win for Apple would be a big revenue boost in the relative lull between back to school shoppers and the start of the Christmas shopping season. Add to this an annual early spring iPad update and you are looking at big revenue boosters for Apple in every quarter.
So what is everyone doing that upgraded with their old iPhone? Ebay and Craigslist will be like a Wal-Mart for them. Wonder if Apple is ever going to introduce a recycling program and continue to peddle their "green" motif.
I'm giving mine to family members where they will become new adds for AT&T.
So one way or another, I think it's pretty safe to assume that most of those 600,000 iPhone pre-orders represent new customers to AT&T - either directly or indirectly!
hat so many people fail to realise is that the USA has one of the most patchy, backwards collection of cell networks in the world. Almost any other modern country has better reception and service on average.
It's because of the double-whammy of the US being the first with land lines and the size of the country. The ultimate irony is, the success of devices like the iPhone will finally provide the revenue companies like AT&T and Verizon need to do some serious expansion. Except then you run into the road block of government regulation, the "not in my backyard" syndrome for new tower sites (everyone loves to use infrastructure, no one wants it near them) and the eventual issues of spectrum saturation (it really is a limited resource so torrenting a 4 gig movie over 3G is just being an ass, m-kay?).
Exactly, its nice to see some intelligence on here!
So are you stating that Apple isn't intelligent?
I guarantee you they are far more intelligent than some anonymous internet forum posters. I can also pretty much guarantee you aren't going to see an iPhone on Verizon before 4G is widely deployed (at least 3 years) so you better start learning how to do a better job in dealing with it.
I can see a future where Verizon does TV spots ripping the iPhone the way that "Mac" ripped "PC". The worst thing for Apple is if the media or the competition turns the iPhone and iPad into jokes because of AT&T's poor service.
I seriously doubt that this will become an issue, at least in the foreseeable future. There are a couple of reasons for this.
First of all, I think most consumers actually understand the difference between the phone and the service provider. Apple has very consistently delivered a stellar iPhone product both in terms of functionality and quality/reliability. Apple has a fantastic reputation in the consumer market, and for Verizon or anyone else to attack the iPhone would jsut be ridiculous.
Second is the simple fact that Verizon WANTS the iPhone. Verizon execs may downplay it, but they know that the iPhone would mean literally millions of new or returning customers on their network. Android fans can tout their various phones all they want but in terms of generating customer interest and ultimately sales, nothing can touch the iPhone.
The iPhone, and now it appears the iPad is destined for a similar fate, define the marketplace. When a new iPhone hits the market the other phone manufacturers scramble to some up with an "iPhone killer". Ever hear of a company working on an "Android killer"? Several companies are now working on tablet systems to compete with the iPad, but I think this is going to meet with comparable results. Apple simply does a better job of integrating hardware and software for an outstanding user experience than anyone else in the market, IMHO.
Forget the complaints on posting boards - AT&T has become an ongoing joke with comedians. They're never going to be able to live that down. I can see a future where Verizon does TV spots ripping the iPhone the way that "Mac" ripped "PC". The worst thing for Apple is if the media or the competition turns the iPhone and iPad into jokes because of AT&T's poor service.
You made some good points, but I don't believe this to be one of them. Jay "Assmunch" Leno can tell all the AT&T jokes he wants, and some might even laugh (not me because I prefer Conan), however, the difference is whether people are laughing because they have heard people complain, or if they are having these issues with AT&T themselves.
If I am not having network issues myself, then jokes certainly aren't going to make me give up my iPhone. And if I am having network issues, I don't need a joke to tell me to change networks. I guess some people could be swayed by peer pressure in the media, but it sounds ridiculous to me.
As you can probably infer, I have had zero issues with my iPhone. I've been a happy customer of both Apple and AT&T since August 2007, and cannot imagine having a different phone. This includes usage primarily in Austin Texas, as well as Travel to Virginia, Detroit, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington DC, Seattle, and Hawaii.
THREE years?! And people put up with that? Here in Denmark phone carriers can only make you sign 6 month contracts max. I think it's the same in most of Europe.
Yeah, sadly. That's what's keeping me from getting an iPhone. No phone is worth 3 years of wallet rape from the Big 3 (Rogers, Bell and Telus).
And competition didn't help either. The iphone is now on all 3 major networks. Plans haven't gotten cheaper. Contract lengths haven't gotten shorter. There was a lot of hope here that Apple would use its influence to force down plan prices and contract lengths. Didn't happen. And if the iPad plans are any indication, it looks like iPhone 4 might have even worse plans than last year's launch specials.
There are new entrants (like Wind Mobile) who run on the AWS band (same as T-Mobile USA). And they offer unlimited calling and unlimited data plans for between $65-$80. The iPhone would be perfect on there. But Apple doesn't build AWS band phones so that's out.
In Canada, the iPhone really is a choice between getting a good device or a cheaper monthly bill. Unless you are absolutely judicious with your use, it's really not uncommon to run up bills that are over $100 per month for iPhone users. Over a 3 year term, that means the phone will cost you anywhere from $3000-$4000+ and that's on very limited plans. Some providers like Virgin (a Bell subsidiary in Canada) require a minimum of $80-$100 per month just to get Visual Voicemail.
With the new entrants though, you get unlimited province-wide or nation-wide calling, unlimited data (Wind has a 5GB softcap with no overages, just throttling), no contracts and over 3 years it would not cost more than $3200-$3400 including the price of a $500 smartphone. And that's about the absolute max you'll pay with Wind. That's quite the difference. Up here, that $200 iPhone is really a committment to paying the Big 3 $1000 more than you would pay their competitors.
Has anyone released which of those are actual NEW customers? Yea, great for Apple regardless, I understand that... But the true stat would be which of those are NOT upgrades. The interesting numbers will be the August, September adds for AT&T.
So what is everyone doing that upgraded with their old iPhone? Ebay and Craigslist will be like a Wal-Mart for them. Wonder if Apple is ever going to introduce a recycling program and continue to peddle their "green" motif.
I think that the number is interesting as far as seeing what current demand is for the phone, and knowing that AT&T reports it to be 10x greater demand than last year. Although, it doesn't really matter if it is new customers or not, at least not to me. In fact I hope that it is 90% upgrades. I'm tired of Grandma Lucy and Aunt Polly jumping on the iPhone bandwagon just because they see them discussed on CNN, Good Morning America, or Live with Regis and Kelly. Just let them stick with the Jitterbug, it's much more on their level.
As you can tell I could care less about Apple marketshare. Lower marektshare keeps Apple hungry and innovative, and it makes for a much smaller but happier customer base.
Breaking their exclusivity agreement is going to cost Apple $$$ and they will have to modify their hardware which means more $$$ and they will have to produce and maintain and keep inventory of different SKUs of, basically, the same product which means even more $$$.
1. No, the exclusivity agreement will expire within a year anyway.
2. No, just expand to T-Mobile. No new hardware necessary. Also T-Mobile was the exclusive launch carrier in some foreign countries, while Apple has no experience with Verizon.
3. No, same SKUs since it would be hardware compatible.
p.s.: AT&T doesn't even have 3G yet where I live. All the other carriers, including T-Mobile, do.
You can't imagine how ridiculous all this complaining sounds.
"I hate AT&T! I'm angry at Apple! What is Steve Jobs thinking?!?"
"If you're so angry, cancel your contract and buy a different phone."
"NO! Are you kidding! I love this thing!!! I don't know what I'd do without it!"
*Repeat ad nauseum*
I have a very interesting book on my shelf entitled "Objects of Desire." It describes how over the decades, manufacturers (successful ones, anyway) have perfected the art of designing and marketing things in such a way that we have a desire to own them. Hardly anyone is better at this today than Apple -- to the extent that some feel angry, embittered, and even jilted, whenever Apple does not satisfy their precise yearnings at every moment.
Just look at the almost comical expressions of outrage over the inability to get a white iPhone 4 right away, like now, like don't make me wait even a week. It is ridiculous, but not surprising when you consider that they're coming from a not rational place created by Apple's amazing desire factory. Apple has got this objects of desire thing down so cold, it's coming back to bite them.
The WSJ review by Mr Mossburg is just super and a fine review of a fine product.. What comes through loud and clear. When will Apple do something about this handicap it is lugging around called AT&T? The damage it must be doing to Apple sales is very obvious . There are customers out there who would buy an iPhone in a flash, but they are holding off because of AT&T's poor quality of product.
It makes no sense at all. If I was in their shoes (I am not} i would also decline. Why would I buy a Rolls Royce grade product which only contains a small underpowered engine?
I couldn't agree more. Assuming Apple knows this, then why would apple continue to do this? Also those potential customers may find something else over time.
It's because of the double-whammy of the US being the first with land lines and the size of the country. The ultimate irony is, the success of devices like the iPhone will finally provide the revenue companies like AT&T and Verizon need to do some serious expansion. Except then you run into the road block of government regulation, the "not in my backyard" syndrome for new tower sites (everyone loves to use infrastructure, no one wants it near them) and the eventual issues of spectrum saturation (it really is a limited resource so torrenting a 4 gig movie over 3G is just being an ass, m-kay?).
Hey... ATT can put up a cell tower in my backyard. Just give my family free iPhone upgrades and service for life and I'm there.
Comments
Verizon's network can't handle the load or they'd be bending over backwards to get Apple on their network.
They're playing a marketing game to keep them visible, by not attacking Apple, but mocking AT&T whose network load dwarfs Verizon.
Maybe you guys didn't hear because AI didn't report it but VZW and even Sprint handled a lot more data last year than ATT.
Oh Jeezuz, here we go again. The whiners are coming out in full force.
There is no reasoning with them. The iPhone will be crap until it's on Verizon. And when the Verizon network does the inevitable belly flop, the true fanboi apologists will be out in full force.
I don't see a Verizon iPhone any time soon. As I've said before, Apple isn't focused on market share, they are focused on profit. And right now they are building a platform. They obviously have a long term vision. By keeping the iPhone off of Verizon, they keep it from dominating and also keep the FTC and all the fuss about "monopoly" and government meddling at bay. I think it's perfectly reasonable to not expect an iPhone until Verizon has 4G widely deployed - that's at least 2012 in my mind. If AT&T is truly terrible in your area, as Psych_guy said: "Sucks to be you!"
We don't always get exactly what we want, when we want it. In fact, throughout human history that has hardly ever been true (I always get a kick about people bitching about the gap between the rich and the poor - you want to see a real gap? Go back to medieval Europe and ask a peasant about their opinion about the current gaps between the rich and the poor). People have more freedom and access to luxury items than ever before in human history and yet through the miracle of the Internet what do we see? That money and crap really can't buy happiness after all. What a surprise
To paraphrase Johnny Storm - "Whine on!"
Looks like a winner!
I only have to wait one more year before I can upgrade from my 3G because in Canada, you have to sign a 3 year contract!
On the flip side, we can actually make calls
THREE years?!
The WSJ review by Mr Mossburg is just super and a fine review of a fine product.. What comes through loud and clear. When will Apple do something about this handicap it is lugging around called AT&T? The damage it must be doing to Apple sales is very obvious . There are customers out there who would buy an iPhone in a flash, but they are holding off because of AT&T's poor quality of product.
It makes no sense at all. If I was in their shoes (I am not} i would also decline. Why would I buy a Rolls Royce grade product which only contains a small underpowered engine?
Hmm... Preorders of the iPhone 4 sold out in less than a day. They were selling 10x faster than the 3GS. This really, REALLY doesn't sound like handicapped sales to me. That said, I have a lady who sits right behind me at work who is exactly the kind of person you are referring to in that she really wants an iPhone but absolutely will not switch to ATT.
I see both sides of this particular issue, but way too many people seem to be trying to give the impression that the iPhone is all but unusable for making calls anywhere in the US. This simply isn't true. Yes, I understand that ATT has coverage issues in certain areas of the country, so does Verizon, Sprint, and everyone else. I'll even concede the point that the biggest thing Apple could do to increase iPhone sales would be to offer a Verizon iPhone. We'll all just have to wait and see at this point.
What's a land line?
its a ww2 movie thing that gets cut
Finally, the iPhone is not "a phone that works, and works well" for many, many people - because of the network. The chorus of people calling for Apple to move past AT&T has been consistent and growing louder. While you may have had good experiences with your phone, many people have not. It is no accident that every single one of the major reviewers mentioned AT&T as a huge drawback to adoption of the iPhone.
If AT&T was as horrible as the whining on the Internet intimated, AT&T wouldn't be besting Verizon in new customer ads for the last three years.
Yes, there are some issues here and there - but that's the nature of cellular service. There is no one perfect carrier, and they all have issues from time to time.
To demand perfection or not expect an occasional glitch is simply unrealistic. Having said that, I have experienced a few more dropped and failed calls lately than I would like. Is it annoying? Yes. Life threatening? Not even close. Enough to make me want to drop the iPhone? Certainly not.
As far as Android, you can laugh all you want, but you sound like the self-contented Mac users circa 1989 who were sure that Microsoft would never be able to duplicate their superior experience. Unfortunately for Apple, they did.
Uh, no they didn't. Not even close. All one has to do is compare international sales of Android to US sales. Once the iPhone does go multi-carrier in the US Android is just another niche player compared to the iPhone. And this, I'm becoming more convinced, is the real reason Apple is staying off of Verizon for the time being (well, that and Verizon traditionally being total jerks to phone manufacturers). At this point in time the last thing Apple needs is a bunch of whiny competitors trying to "compete" by over-regulation through the FTC instead of building a better experience than that of the iPhone.
Oh wait, that's happening now. Except now those arguments fall kind of flat. Believe it or not that's probably far more valuable then a few more million subscriber adds - when Apple can barely keep up with production now. Divert more phones to the US where the iPhone is already well established, or get more shipping in the rest of the world to secure world-wide domination later. If I were a long term strategic planner, I know exactly which way I would be heading (hint: where Apple is right now).
Cry all you want, I see no iPhone on Verizon any time soon.
3. I'd get an iPhone, if only the prince charming of networks had the iPhone and until then, I'm going to buy an inferior product and whine about not having the iPhone.
Many of us are extremely happy with the phone and the service. I've been a satisfied customer of Cingular/AT&T in the SFBA for about 12 years now. Never had a problem, never thought about switching. If you live in an area that has poor AT&T service, it sucks to be you. But I vote with my dollars and I'm good.
I agree with you on the rest of your post, but I'm curious about this item in particular. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does SFBA mean San Fransisco Bay Area? I had always heard that SFBA was one of the big problem areas for ATT coverage? Just find it curious that you have had such good service in what I thought was one of the troublesome markets for ATT.
I totally agree that it will be funny once Apple does release a Verizon iPhone and the flood of new customers there cause network issues for Verizon. It will be quite humorous to see some of these same whiners rejoice that they can now get a Verizon iPhone only to start complaining again weeks or months later that Verizon service now sucks.
Looks like a winner!
I only have to wait one more year before I can upgrade from my 3G because in Canada, you have to sign a 3 year contract!
On the flip side, we can actually make calls
I'm sure the next iPhone, (4S maybe?) will be twice as fast as the iPhone 4 when it's time for you to upgrade.
perhaps, but you are still getting killed by ROGERS, which although may have better coverage than ATT, they charge their customers through the nose.
As for APPLE and ATT WIRELESS, i hate ATT wireless coverage. its a big reason why i haven't set to upgrade to a new phone yet. I am hoping in the fall Apple goes agnostic to all the carriers. which is the right thing to do. allow consumers to choose their wireless service, not beholden customers to one.
ie Blackberry, which has all major carriers.
I'm afraid you're in for a long wait on that one. I won't be surprised when Apple releases an iPhone on Verizon or Sprint or T-Mobile, but agnostic to ALL carriers... You are going to be waiting YEARS for that one. Someone else also made the point about supply. Right now it takes Apple months to catch up to demand when they release a new model. You know how much worse that will be when they add on a second carrier?
I would think that even when Apple does add on a second carrier it would only be practical for them to stagger carrier launches. The rumors about a Verizon iPhone this fall seems to support that idea also. I would envision a continuation of the summer ATT release, and give that launch a couple of months to taper off before a mid to late fall Verizon release. The big win for Apple would be a big revenue boost in the relative lull between back to school shoppers and the start of the Christmas shopping season. Add to this an annual early spring iPad update and you are looking at big revenue boosters for Apple in every quarter.
So what is everyone doing that upgraded with their old iPhone? Ebay and Craigslist will be like a Wal-Mart for them. Wonder if Apple is ever going to introduce a recycling program and continue to peddle their "green" motif.
I'm giving mine to family members where they will become new adds for AT&T.
So one way or another, I think it's pretty safe to assume that most of those 600,000 iPhone pre-orders represent new customers to AT&T - either directly or indirectly!
hat so many people fail to realise is that the USA has one of the most patchy, backwards collection of cell networks in the world. Almost any other modern country has better reception and service on average.
It's because of the double-whammy of the US being the first with land lines and the size of the country. The ultimate irony is, the success of devices like the iPhone will finally provide the revenue companies like AT&T and Verizon need to do some serious expansion. Except then you run into the road block of government regulation, the "not in my backyard" syndrome for new tower sites (everyone loves to use infrastructure, no one wants it near them) and the eventual issues of spectrum saturation (it really is a limited resource so torrenting a 4 gig movie over 3G is just being an ass, m-kay?).
Exactly, its nice to see some intelligence on here!
So are you stating that Apple isn't intelligent?
I guarantee you they are far more intelligent than some anonymous internet forum posters. I can also pretty much guarantee you aren't going to see an iPhone on Verizon before 4G is widely deployed (at least 3 years) so you better start learning how to do a better job in dealing with it.
I can see a future where Verizon does TV spots ripping the iPhone the way that "Mac" ripped "PC". The worst thing for Apple is if the media or the competition turns the iPhone and iPad into jokes because of AT&T's poor service.
I seriously doubt that this will become an issue, at least in the foreseeable future. There are a couple of reasons for this.
First of all, I think most consumers actually understand the difference between the phone and the service provider. Apple has very consistently delivered a stellar iPhone product both in terms of functionality and quality/reliability. Apple has a fantastic reputation in the consumer market, and for Verizon or anyone else to attack the iPhone would jsut be ridiculous.
Second is the simple fact that Verizon WANTS the iPhone. Verizon execs may downplay it, but they know that the iPhone would mean literally millions of new or returning customers on their network. Android fans can tout their various phones all they want but in terms of generating customer interest and ultimately sales, nothing can touch the iPhone.
The iPhone, and now it appears the iPad is destined for a similar fate, define the marketplace. When a new iPhone hits the market the other phone manufacturers scramble to some up with an "iPhone killer". Ever hear of a company working on an "Android killer"? Several companies are now working on tablet systems to compete with the iPad, but I think this is going to meet with comparable results. Apple simply does a better job of integrating hardware and software for an outstanding user experience than anyone else in the market, IMHO.
Forget the complaints on posting boards - AT&T has become an ongoing joke with comedians. They're never going to be able to live that down. I can see a future where Verizon does TV spots ripping the iPhone the way that "Mac" ripped "PC". The worst thing for Apple is if the media or the competition turns the iPhone and iPad into jokes because of AT&T's poor service.
You made some good points, but I don't believe this to be one of them. Jay "Assmunch" Leno can tell all the AT&T jokes he wants, and some might even laugh (not me because I prefer Conan), however, the difference is whether people are laughing because they have heard people complain, or if they are having these issues with AT&T themselves.
If I am not having network issues myself, then jokes certainly aren't going to make me give up my iPhone. And if I am having network issues, I don't need a joke to tell me to change networks. I guess some people could be swayed by peer pressure in the media, but it sounds ridiculous to me.
As you can probably infer, I have had zero issues with my iPhone. I've been a happy customer of both Apple and AT&T since August 2007, and cannot imagine having a different phone. This includes usage primarily in Austin Texas, as well as Travel to Virginia, Detroit, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington DC, Seattle, and Hawaii.
No complaints here~
THREE years?!
Yeah, sadly. That's what's keeping me from getting an iPhone. No phone is worth 3 years of wallet rape from the Big 3 (Rogers, Bell and Telus).
And competition didn't help either. The iphone is now on all 3 major networks. Plans haven't gotten cheaper. Contract lengths haven't gotten shorter. There was a lot of hope here that Apple would use its influence to force down plan prices and contract lengths. Didn't happen. And if the iPad plans are any indication, it looks like iPhone 4 might have even worse plans than last year's launch specials.
There are new entrants (like Wind Mobile) who run on the AWS band (same as T-Mobile USA). And they offer unlimited calling and unlimited data plans for between $65-$80. The iPhone would be perfect on there. But Apple doesn't build AWS band phones so that's out.
In Canada, the iPhone really is a choice between getting a good device or a cheaper monthly bill. Unless you are absolutely judicious with your use, it's really not uncommon to run up bills that are over $100 per month for iPhone users. Over a 3 year term, that means the phone will cost you anywhere from $3000-$4000+ and that's on very limited plans. Some providers like Virgin (a Bell subsidiary in Canada) require a minimum of $80-$100 per month just to get Visual Voicemail.
With the new entrants though, you get unlimited province-wide or nation-wide calling, unlimited data (Wind has a 5GB softcap with no overages, just throttling), no contracts and over 3 years it would not cost more than $3200-$3400 including the price of a $500 smartphone. And that's about the absolute max you'll pay with Wind. That's quite the difference. Up here, that $200 iPhone is really a committment to paying the Big 3 $1000 more than you would pay their competitors.
Why do people keep citing the pre-order figure?
Has anyone released which of those are actual NEW customers? Yea, great for Apple regardless, I understand that... But the true stat would be which of those are NOT upgrades. The interesting numbers will be the August, September adds for AT&T.
So what is everyone doing that upgraded with their old iPhone? Ebay and Craigslist will be like a Wal-Mart for them. Wonder if Apple is ever going to introduce a recycling program and continue to peddle their "green" motif.
I think that the number is interesting as far as seeing what current demand is for the phone, and knowing that AT&T reports it to be 10x greater demand than last year. Although, it doesn't really matter if it is new customers or not, at least not to me. In fact I hope that it is 90% upgrades. I'm tired of Grandma Lucy and Aunt Polly jumping on the iPhone bandwagon just because they see them discussed on CNN, Good Morning America, or Live with Regis and Kelly. Just let them stick with the Jitterbug, it's much more on their level.
As you can tell I could care less about Apple marketshare. Lower marektshare keeps Apple hungry and innovative, and it makes for a much smaller but happier customer base.
Breaking their exclusivity agreement is going to cost Apple $$$ and they will have to modify their hardware which means more $$$ and they will have to produce and maintain and keep inventory of different SKUs of, basically, the same product which means even more $$$.
1. No, the exclusivity agreement will expire within a year anyway.
2. No, just expand to T-Mobile. No new hardware necessary. Also T-Mobile was the exclusive launch carrier in some foreign countries, while Apple has no experience with Verizon.
3. No, same SKUs since it would be hardware compatible.
p.s.: AT&T doesn't even have 3G yet where I live. All the other carriers, including T-Mobile, do.
You can't imagine how ridiculous all this complaining sounds.
"I hate AT&T! I'm angry at Apple! What is Steve Jobs thinking?!?"
"If you're so angry, cancel your contract and buy a different phone."
"NO! Are you kidding! I love this thing!!! I don't know what I'd do without it!"
*Repeat ad nauseum*
I have a very interesting book on my shelf entitled "Objects of Desire." It describes how over the decades, manufacturers (successful ones, anyway) have perfected the art of designing and marketing things in such a way that we have a desire to own them. Hardly anyone is better at this today than Apple -- to the extent that some feel angry, embittered, and even jilted, whenever Apple does not satisfy their precise yearnings at every moment.
Just look at the almost comical expressions of outrage over the inability to get a white iPhone 4 right away, like now, like don't make me wait even a week. It is ridiculous, but not surprising when you consider that they're coming from a not rational place created by Apple's amazing desire factory. Apple has got this objects of desire thing down so cold, it's coming back to bite them.
The WSJ review by Mr Mossburg is just super and a fine review of a fine product.. What comes through loud and clear. When will Apple do something about this handicap it is lugging around called AT&T? The damage it must be doing to Apple sales is very obvious . There are customers out there who would buy an iPhone in a flash, but they are holding off because of AT&T's poor quality of product.
It makes no sense at all. If I was in their shoes (I am not} i would also decline. Why would I buy a Rolls Royce grade product which only contains a small underpowered engine?
I couldn't agree more. Assuming Apple knows this, then why would apple continue to do this? Also those potential customers may find something else over time.
It's because of the double-whammy of the US being the first with land lines and the size of the country. The ultimate irony is, the success of devices like the iPhone will finally provide the revenue companies like AT&T and Verizon need to do some serious expansion. Except then you run into the road block of government regulation, the "not in my backyard" syndrome for new tower sites (everyone loves to use infrastructure, no one wants it near them) and the eventual issues of spectrum saturation (it really is a limited resource so torrenting a 4 gig movie over 3G is just being an ass, m-kay?).
Hey... ATT can put up a cell tower in my backyard. Just give my family free iPhone upgrades and service for life and I'm there.