Comments on: Apple extends contract with AT&T, forgets about you

Apple has extended its relationship with AT&T and Don Reisinger thinks that's the wrong move. Is he right?

[chinchillabutt]

I will wait til AT&T is NOT the provider. AT&T is awful. I don't NEED an iphone. When Apple decides to get smart and offer to all companies - i'll go for it.

[hrabetin]

I have a phone and service through Verizon and from both experience and their coverage map they have much better service. Their high speed area is greater and regular phone is available over a greater area. There are major gaps in regular AT&T phone service outside of the major urban areas and 3G ONLY seems to be available in major urban areas per my research of the AT&T website and service map. I guess I'll just have to wait along for many others for the Apple phone to be available to other service providers.

[gerrrg]

My speculation linking a coincidence of events:

AT&T filed its complaint against the Sprint-Clearwire-Intel-Google-Comcast deal, because it HAS to stick with what it will have for the foreseeable future: iPhone 3G.

If WiMax were to come out with 4G services, people would no longer see the iPhone as all that great, especially if makers come out with devices running on Android. Do you want to stick with the snails or run with the bulls?

[frcabot]

Probably for the simple reason that there's no sense in offering an iPhone 3G on a network that doesn't have 3G capability (i.e. Tmobile which is EDGE only). Maybe Apple is waiting for T-Mobile to jump on the 3G platform (which european and asian carriers have all had for ages now). Notice that Apple is in fact selling non-exclusive iPhones in European countries with broad 3G coverage. For now though, ATT is the only US company with 3G and so it makes sense to take ATT's money for the time being. I'm sure Apple is fully aware of ATT's price and customer "service" limitations.

[inrage33]

What most of you fail to realize is when Apple approached all the carriers about making a cell phone that would revolutionize smartphones, verizon sprint and T-Mobile said know. Why you might say. Because Jobs wanted control over every aspect of the phone. ATT is the only carrier that expected because on of the vice president of the wireless department was a Jobs fan so he convinced ATT and the rest is history. I figure that Apple is just being grateful that one of the carriers backed them so that they could go forward with their plan. As far as we know if it wasn't for ATT, there might not have been an iphone.

[rdwalton]

Umm, here's a news flash! 3G is not faster than Sprint's EVDO, I know because I used to be on the EVDO network and I switched to the iPhone. I actually have to turn off my 3G in order to get "more bars in more places."

I'm not sure how AT&T can claim they have the fastet network and get away with saying that, they don't. Or maybe it's the iPhone that's the problem. I know my EVDO phone was much much faster...

[rdwalton]

Umm, here's a news flash! 3G is not faster than Sprint's EVDO, I know because I used to be on the EVDO network and I switched to the iPhone. I actually have to turn off my 3G in order to get "more bars in more places."

I'm not sure how AT&T can claim they have the fastet network and get away with saying that, they don't. Or maybe it's the iPhone that's the problem. I know my EVDO phone was much much faster...

[sting7k]

So why is Apple held to such higher standards? Its standard practice for cell phones, they often remain with one carrier for a year or more before they move around, remember the razr? Its nothing new here. Plus you have to remember when it comes to cell phones Apple is still the new guy, for them having to make another version just for 2 carriers (verizon and sprint) might not seem like a good idea since it will be just for them on CDMA. When as they have it now they can make and design one to sell everywhere. Apple isn't Nokia, Moto, LG, Samsung, or HTC. I would expect the iPhone shows up on Tmobile in the USA long before Verizon or Sprint, and besides, didn't Verizon turn them down already when it was offered to them before AT&T?

[Cpt. Wafer]

> " incur more revenue", " unable to succumb"

Does anyone edit this stuff?

[jscott418]

Apple has a hard time understanding people other then Apple fanboy's. Sure some will stand in line for days waiting for the latest from Apple. But this is NOT the normal person. Yes, you may think so with all the media hype. But as we see from the first iPhone, that interest died off quickly and sales did not meet Apple's or AT&T's expectations. The new iPhone simply moves numbers around but the overall costs is the same and not everyone can use AT&T. I myself don't have anything against AT&T. But they simply have no service where I live. I would buy a iPhone if it could work with Verizon. But, life will go on, and I am perfectly fine with the phone I have. I just don't want Apple to be complaining about sales when it eliminates so many potential buyer's by it's own poor business model.

[zamboknee]

Could Apple be developing a DIFFERENT iPhone altogether? I thought I heard some rumblings about a 'mini-iPhone' type of device. Maybe that's something that will be sold through other carriers?
Just theorizing.

[rdwalton]

They should probably concentrate on getting this one to work right first. I have to turn off my 3G in order to get a good signal on the iPhone and in an area where they have towers.

[b_baggins]

Yawn.

And yet, the iPhone will still continue to sell millions upon millions of units and be the smartphone to chase and we will still hear from pundits and experts after each quarter where Apple yet breaks another sales record on how many wrong decisions the company is making.

[rdwalton]

Yawn....the apple fanboys never quit.

[juntha]

This doesn't make sense... If Verizon, T Mobile and Sprint users want the iPhone they ll just have to wait until their contract expires then they ll move to ATT. The way i see it is that ATT-Apple deal gives ATT one more year for all of them to have their contract expired by 2010. It's a great deal with ATT... And for Apple ? well they can't keep up with the demand right now,.. why adding three more suppliers !? Apple is better off staying with ATT, getting the device money upfront and allow all those expiring contract user to get it little by little. For me ? I am waiting for half 2009 to get it.

[norcalrivercat]

I think that Apple locking the iPhone 3g was smart, think about it. ATT, while maybe not the best carrier, is what the iPhone was built around in terms of their 3G speed, by taking one more year with them before opening the iPhone up they not only build more anticipation but it makes it easier for development, if you have to build a CDMA and a GSM, it's just more costly and time consuming.

[erg208]

Apple has not "forgotten about you." Apple wanted its product to be "global" and GSM is all over the world. I don't remember other countries using CDMA in vast numbers besides the U.S. Mind you Apple sought out Verizon first. Stupid Verizon --they declined. Now AT&T is the big winner. If Apple used Verizon they could only sell the majority of their iPhone here in the U.S. So what about the rest of the world? Why would Apple not conquer the world with the iPhone? It's all about market share. So whatcha talking about "forgotten about you???" Apple didn't forget; they looked around and took care the U.S. and the rest of the world with their breakthrough product!

[Bieberbulldog52]

What is the chance that Apple is going to come out with another iPhone (but under a different name) which is open to the other carriers, I mean the exclusive deal with at&t is only with the "iPhone". Is it possible Apple is planning to come out with a new different phone. If Apple wants to expand its grasp of the market, won't another phone make more sense? I'm on Verizon and I just want an iPhone so badly and don't want to change carriers for a phone.

[Bieberbulldog52]

What is the chance that Apple is going to come out with another iPhone (but under a different name) which is open to the other carriers, I mean the exclusive deal with at&t is only with the "iPhone". Is it possible Apple is planning to come out with a new different phone. If Apple wants to expand its grasp of the market, won't another phone make more sense? I'm on Verizon and I just want an iPhone so badly and don't want to change carriers for a phone.

[brickman5721]

It seems like some of you have forgotten certain recent events surrounding Verizion and their acquisitions. When Verizon merges with Alltel next year, they will have the largest customer base and coverage area of any provider in the U.S. Period. Now tell me why exactly is this something to turn one's nose up at?

[Hellcat]

Because 1)95% of the world uses GSM so it was smart for them to just go GSM. 2) I'm guessing someone will buy Sprint and their are 2 major GSM companies and 1 major CDMA company in the U.S. and I don't think Verizon would buy Sprint especially since they just bought Alltel. Tmobile already showed some interest in buying Sprint and who knows AT&T may be interested too. IF AT&T bought Sprint they would become #1 in customer base and if Tmobile did then they would be #3...maybe #2 not sure how many people are with Tmobile.

[tekwiz4u]

Why cant they just get Verizon? I would've expected more from Apple to try out other carriers, but it looks like its not the case here.