iPhone on Cingular for 5 years

[ebrunn]

AT&T has exclusive U.S. distribution rights for five years — an eternity in the go-go cellphone world. And Apple is barred for that time from developing a version of the iPhone for CDMA wireless networks.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2007-05-21-at&t-iphone_N.htm

[wot_fan]

I wonder how long it will take for Verizon to regret their decision to pass on the iPhone (assuming they don't already :tounge:).

[ebrunn]

I wonder how long it will take for Verizon to regret their decision to pass on the iPhone (assuming they don't already :tounge:).

By making up lies

Strigl says Verizon is already working with a manufacturer — he declines to say which one — on an answer to the iPhone. "We do have a very good response in the mill," he says. "You'll see that from us in the late summer."


Kinda just like Microsoft did with the Zune.:2cool:

[wjp09]

Im sure verizon will come up with something in the next 5 years. The last "it" phone and still is until the iphones release was the sidekick from Tmobile. Everyone wanted it. Now its cingulars turn.

[ColsTiger]

Im sure verizon will come up with something in the next 5 years. The last "it" phone and still is until the iphones release was the sidekick from Tmobile. Everyone wanted it. Now its cingulars turn.

The RAZR outsold the sidekick by millions and Cingular had that exclusive deal for a year before T-Mobile could offer it.

[BoxKrait]

The RAZR outsold the sidekick by millions and Cingular had that exclusive deal for a year before T-Mobile could offer it.

Think he has you there.

I thought Cingular was the exclusive provider for the iPhone until 2009?
I read somewhere that they had a 2year strangle hold on it.

[ColsTiger]

Think he has you there.

I thought Cingular was the exclusive provider for the iPhone until 2009?
I read somewhere that they had a 2year strangle hold on it.

Today it leaked out that Cingular/At&t has an exclusive iPhone deal for FIVE years. That locks it up until 2012.:gasp:

[BoxKrait]

Today it leaked out that Cingular/At&t has an exclusive iPhone deal for FIVE years. That locks it up until 2012.:gasp:

Oh.

Yay for already having Cingular. :D

[wjp09]

Oh.

Yay for already having Cingular. :D


x2 I second that lol. I had verizon glad that I made the switch.

[BoxKrait]

x2 I second that lol. I had verizon glad that I made the switch.

Originally I had AT&T, which sold it's mobile phone industry to Cingular.
And now AT&T bought them.
So I'm back? Even though I never left? :confused:
I should get a loyalty discount. :cool:

[wjp09]

Ahh I have to find that video. I will post it when I find it.

[ColsTiger]

Originally I had AT&T, which sold it's mobile phone industry to Cingular.
And now AT&T bought them.
So I'm back? Even though I never left? :confused:
I should get a loyalty discount. :cool:

I always knew they couldn't keep Ma Bell down forever. And we just thought they broke up that telecommunications monopoly back in the 80s.

[wjp09]

They should just change it to Bell after all he invented the phone :)

[ColsTiger]

They should just change it to Bell after all he invented the phone :)

I agree. Don't even try to hide it anymore. They should just thumb their noses at the Justice Department.

[JeffBobula]

good thing the world ends in 2012!

ill have my iphone (or when it gets down to it, iweapon!) by my side till then.

[archer6]

At times like this when I'm ALREADY happy with Cingular, the 5 year exclusive makes it just that much sweeter....:laugh2:

Conversely, I do think this is a shortsighted deal which negatively affects others. That, I strongly DISLIKE...:angry:

As an experienced business person that owns a large operation, I do think that unfortunately this is another one of "Steves" deals that will be of great personal benefit for him.

There is no other explanation that I can think of other than it was all about the money (greed) as usual. And in this case it's all about Steve.

Yet, even if that's the case I still do not understand why sales of the iPhone are limited to just one carrier. This will cause a lot of people that wanted an iPhone to walk away. The amount of technological advancement that will occur during this five year period is sure to leave the iPhone in the dust.

Samsung for one, is a giant in the mobile phone industry and they are not taking the iPhone sitting down. See this link:
http://www.mobileburn.com/gallery.jsp?Id=3160&source=SEARCH

We will soon see how this plays out.

As much as I like Apple products, this is my one major complaint with the company is their elitist attitude, and how quick they overlook there loyal customers in the name of profit.

Unfortunately the iPhone just became even more expensive for those that do not want to wait five years for their carrier to have a shot at it.

[wjp09]

Well look at it this way. More money for apple means better products for US. Hopefully? Right? Well thats the way it should work.

[BoxKrait]

Well look at it this way. More money for apple means better products for US. Hopefully? Right? Well thats the way it should work.
After the success of the many versions of the iPods, I'm sure apple has a ridiculous amount of money.
Stocks went from.. $7 a share to around $100 right?

[archer6]

Well look at it this way. More money for apple means better products for US. Hopefully? Right? Well thats the way it should work.

I agree with the concept & benefit of more products for the US. However it seems to me that if Apple would have signed a 60 DAY exclusivity agreement with AT&T, then after that brief period, released it to T-Mobile, that would have made more money and more sense.

Selling the iPhone through two large carriers makes a lot more sense than to limit it to only one. It's also a lot more fair to the end user.

Especially given that they are the only carriers in the US currently that operate on the GSM system. In addition, I don't think it was smart at all, to sign an agreement that for five years they are not allowed to create a CDMA version of the iPhone.

Once again, I say don't get me wrong, I'm an Apple advocate.

That said, I feel there is a limit to the smoke and mirrors and misleading way they present themselves from time to time.

Brilliant products from a company that vacillates between being good for the public and bad for the public. And camouflages it along the way.

It's all about ethics...... or NOT ?

[jpmihalk]

Keep in mind that AT&T/Cingular worked with Apple to develop the visual voice mail system, so that had to be all kept under wraps too. Much has been made of the "control" issues involved with a project of this magnitude... so it kind of makes sense to work with one provider to create a new standard rather than all providers.

[wjp09]

Yeah good point. So will the european carriers not have that feature?

[jpmihalk]

Good question... that may be why they are only just announcing that information now...

[archer6]

After the success of the many versions of the iPods, I'm sure apple has a ridiculous amount of money.
Stocks went from.. $7 a share to around $100 right?

Yes, Apple has always been good at amassing cash.

From my perspective I believe that they could choose to lower the prices just a small amount on their products, and in doing so they would allow more people to afford Apple products, while still earning a lot of income. This would grow the user base which is always good for the company and the public.

When it comes to Apple notebook computers. I did a very fair price comparison yesterday between an Apple MacBook Pro vs Lenovo T60 ThinkPad. I spec'd them out exactly the same, in terms of processors, ram memory, graphics cards, and hard drive size. I also added the optional 3 year warranty to each.

Bottom line, the Apple MBP was over $700 more than the ThinkPad !

This is an outrageous difference which is simply not right. It prevents many people from buying the MBP because of the premium price. Now before you fire up your flame thrower, hear me out. I love Macs! And after 10 years I've heard every story and reason why they are so superior to windows. While that was at one time a valid claim, the gap has narrowed and today there is not $700 worth of superiority on the Mac side.

Now I say with all due modesty, I'm a notebook expert. I have used both PowerBooks & ThinkPads for 10 years. Each year upgrading to the top of the line, of each brand. This, because I'm a professional engineer, that requires all the resources available in a laptop. If I had to choose one over the other, it would be a very difficult decision. For work I must have a PC based laptop due to the apps I run. However that is gradually changing as now we can run windows on the MBP.

In fact I just bought another new MBP to setup and test, just to see if it can be one of my "main" computers for the general non-scientific work I do. For the other I have my T60p which is a workstation class Thinkpad.

It will also be interesting to see what's shown at WWDC, as the rumor is updated MacBooks and MBP's at that event.

As you may have sensed by now, I have a rather strong view on what's fair to customers.

Thanks for the opportunity to vent, while sharing some very accurate info with others here who it may benefit.

Cheers....:wink:

[ColsTiger]

I agree with the concept & benefit of more products for the US. However it seems to me that if Apple would have signed a 60 DAY exclusivity agreement with AT&T, then after that brief period, released it to T-Mobile, that would have made more money and more sense.

Selling the iPhone through two large carriers makes a lot more sense than to limit it to only one. It's also a lot more fair to the end user.

Especially given that they are the only carriers in the US currently that operate on the GSM system. In addition, I don't think it was smart at all, to sign an agreement that for five years they are not allowed to create a CDMA version of the iPhone.

Once again, I say don't get me wrong, I'm an Apple advocate.

That said, I feel there is a limit to the smoke and mirrors and misleading way they present themselves from time to time.

Brilliant products from a company that vacillates between being good for the public and bad for the public. And camouflages it along the way.

It's all about ethics...... or NOT ?

When you put it this way, it seems that it may not be a five year exclusive deal with At&t, but just a five year exclusive deal with GSM technology. After a year or so, they may release it to T-Mobile. Because the announcement only stated that they wouldn't build a CDMA version for five year, that could mean that T-Mobile will be in the picture much quicker than I thought.