Verizon to go iPhone Article

[LordKastle]

Like I said in an earlier post... the hundreds of millions and millions of dollars in potential profit is what AT&T will have to pay to Apple to keep them exclusive. In discussions, Apple will bring AT&T a figure that they believe will make up for any potential added growth in sales and revenue from Verizon and if AT&T wants to keep them exclusive, they will agree to certain terms. AT&T is more dependent on Apple than vice versa and more dependent than Verizon is.

So in other words, potential profit from Verizon only works in to the equation when trying to agree to terms with AT&T.

It has more to do with how much AT&T will pay to keep them exclusive than it does with an agreement between Apple and Verizon.

[StupidGenius]

Also, let's not forget about the rumored Apple Tablet that's supposedly being released next year. Once again, rumor is that Verizon speeded their LTE launch to support it. It would make for a great introduction of both the tablet and the new speedy network. So if there are talks it may have little to do with the iPhone.

[JayMonster]

You could look at VZW's marketing as a show of force; telling Apple to know their place, and that VZW has THE network that everyone including apple wants.

That was exactly the message with the "Map for That" commercials.. particularly the "Island of Misfit Toys" commercial, where the character says, "But you can browse the web and download apps, people would love you" And then the at&t screen pops up... so clearly, it is telling Apple exactly that.

As for the "iDon't" commercials, it has been rumored for some time that "some device" would come to VZW, but not the "iPhone" so a new minted and branded Apple phone would satisfy both areas.

Now, the tablet that somebody brought up is interesting... except for the rumored $1000 price tag, which should help make this as pervasive in the market as the buying trips to the space station, a Patek Philippe Watch or the Macbook Air... Sure the elite will buy 'em, but not your average consumer.

[wnrussell]

After the marketing campaign that Verizon has used for the Droid, I find it hard to believe that Apple will move over to Verizon.

I agree;

Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu believes it's more likely to happen in 2012, saying Apple can expand its iPhone business in the U.S. with other carriers, such as Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile.

"While we believe VZ is likely inevitable at some point when 4G technology rolls out in 2012 or so, we believe Sprint and/or T-Mobile are more willing partners for Apple in helping maintain margins and customer controls," Wu wrote in a note to clients.

Thomas Weisel analyst Doug Reid agreed in an opinion last week, saying that he believes Apple will choose T-Mobile because it already has a relationship selling iPhones in Germany.

"Apple wants to move away from exclusivity; T-Mobile achieves this for Apple in the U.S.," Reid wrote.

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjo...html?ana=yfcpc

[LordKastle]

When was the last time any company told the truth right before a contract agreement with another entity? Take all these articles with a grain of salt because they are nothing but fronts and acts being put up by both Apple and the carrier in discussion.

Both sides want leverage and both will put out varying degrees of propaganda.