Sprint CEO offers 'no comment' on possibility of gaining Apple's iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Now that Apple is building a CDMA variant of the iPhone, the handset is technically compatible with the Sprint network in the U.S., though the carrier's CEO said Friday he wouldn't comment on any potential deal.



Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse was asked by reporters in Detroit on Friday whether Sprint would sell Apple's iPhone. The CEO would not offer an answer to the question.



Hesse has talked openly in the past about some Apple products, including the success his company's 4G Overdrive MiFi hotspot saw after the release of the iPad. He has not, however, commented on the iPhone, noting that his company does not reveal conversations it has with third parties.



But Sprint even featured the iPhone in a commercial it began airing last March, showing off its 4G network being tethered to Apple's handset over Wi-Fi, telling customers to "make your iPhone 4G." Last year the company also launched a 3G hotspot that serves as a case and hardware accessory for Apple's iPod touch.



Since its release in 2007, the iPhone remained exclusive to carrier AT&T, until this week, when a deal with Verizon was announced. Apple revealed that its agreement with Verizon is non-exclusive, which leaves the door open for other carriers to have access to Apple's handset.



Sprint is the third-largest carrier in the U.S., and it relies on a CDMA network like Verizon's. The release of a new iPhone with a built-in CDMA radio means that Apple could now choose to partner with Sprint as well.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main
  • Reply 2 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NukemHill View Post


    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main



    They mention an industry-first in that presser, which a CDMA iPhone most certainly would not be now. I don't think that event is for the iPhone, but usually "no comment" means that something's up. I expect to see the iPhone 5 on 3, if not all 4, of the major carriers.
  • Reply 3 of 20
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NukemHill View Post


    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main



    Sounds like they want to disrupt something announcement 3 days ahead of Verizon?s iPhone launch.



    I agree with hittrj01 that getting the iPhone 4 is unlikely. Will Apple be able to produce enough for Verizon customers at this point? Is the new factory slated to produce 200k iPhones per day in full swing yet? Can Apple even source enough components?
  • Reply 4 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NukemHill View Post


    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main



    It's a demonstration of how great their network is by shoving a Sprint phone up David Blaine's a$s and making and receiving a call from that phone. Now that's an industry first..
  • Reply 5 of 20
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NukemHill View Post


    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main



    Did they invite Gizmodo?!
  • Reply 6 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NukemHill View Post


    Sprint has announced a press conference for 2/7:



    http://www.macworld.com/article/1571...?lsrc=rss_main



    Sprint roams and pays Verizon for it for godsake
  • Reply 7 of 20
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    Did they invite Gizmodo?!



    That would give us the definitive clue.
  • Reply 8 of 20
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    That would give us the definitive clue.



    Wow Gizmodo still has power over Apple.
  • Reply 9 of 20
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AdonisSMU View Post


    Wow Gizmodo still has power over Apple.



    Apple has power over Gizmodo.
  • Reply 10 of 20
    I was so happy when the Verizon iPhone was announced... not because of the phone, but because I knew I'd stop reading hundreds of Verizon iPhone rumors in Google Reader.

    Unfortunately, it looks like I'll get hundreds of Sprint/T-Mobile iPhone rumors instead. Whoop-dee-doo.
  • Reply 11 of 20
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by drumrobot View Post


    I was so happy when the Verizon iPhone was announced... not because of the phone, but because I knew I'd stop reading hundreds of Verizon iPhone rumors in Google Reader.

    Unfortunately, it looks like I'll get hundreds of Sprint/T-Mobile iPhone rumors instead. Whoop-dee-doo.



    and you'll get hundreds of Verizon VS. ATT and iPhone VS. Android articles even though the latter makes no sense when it comes to comparisons at all.
  • Reply 12 of 20
    Sprint did post this on their Twitter



    "Thx 4 the iPhone comments! While it’s a great device, Sprint has a strong device lineup, great 3G/4G network & simple, cost-effective plans."



    That's not really a denial, either. I doubt any iPhone is debuting soon, though.
  • Reply 13 of 20
    "No comments" means they're getting the iPhone: if they weren't getting it, they would be free to say anything they want!
  • Reply 14 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ranReloaded View Post


    "No comments" means they're getting the iPhone: if they weren't getting it, they would be free to say anything they want!



    Agreed. If they weren't getting it or had no chance, they would say "We aren't getting it" or "we aren't interested".

    No Comment means it is coming.
  • Reply 15 of 20
    realisticrealistic Posts: 1,154member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ranReloaded View Post


    "No comments" means they're getting the iPhone: if they weren't getting it, they would be free to say anything they want!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by railstop View Post


    Agreed. If they weren't getting it or had no chance, they would say "We aren't getting it" or "we aren't interested".

    No Comment means it is coming.



    Get a life both of you...
  • Reply 16 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Realistic View Post


    Get a life both of you...



    How about this, instead of negatively posting to make your little self feel better, you find somewhere else to troll around.



    I hope Sprint does get it because my area does not get AT&T very well, VZW is spotty, and Sprint is great. We all hope to get the iPhone on our favorite service. That means whatever works well in our area.
  • Reply 17 of 20
    Android has gain a few market shares in the last couple months, thanks to Motorola (Droid), HTC Evo therefore, in the long term, Apple will have no other option to allow the iPhone on the other U.S carriers. Verizon iPhone was just the start. It will be a good business decision for Apple and a way to stay in the mix with Android base phones.
  • Reply 18 of 20
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    The answer is obvious to me. CDMA2000 upgrades are complete for Sprint, allowing simultaneous voice and data. Whether they have an iPhone4 to announce w/that or if their family of Android phones will be the first to take the benefit remains to be seen. This is what I suspect tho. No one has CDMA2000 up and running nationwide tho and both Sprint and Verizon are expected to complete during teh first half of this year
  • Reply 19 of 20
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post


    Android has gain a few market shares in the last couple months, thanks to Motorola (Droid), HTC Evo therefore, in the long term, Apple will have no other option to allow the iPhone on the other U.S carriers. Verizon iPhone was just the start. It will be a good business decision for Apple and a way to stay in the mix with Android base phones.



    I honestly don't think Apple has anything to fear from android phones. There's going to be millions of people making the switch from attt to verizon once it comes out with the iPhone, let alone the people that are already Verizon customers that will upgrade to iPhones. There my be an over abundance of droid base phone but in the end with side by side comparison apple crushes them.
  • Reply 20 of 20
    adonissmuadonissmu Posts: 1,776member
    The word on the street is that 4G Iphone will be announced on sprint... I'll believe it when I see it!
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