“Says Ratcliffe, ‘Channel checks by our communications equipment and semiconductor research partners give us greater confidence that Verizon will get an iPhone in early 2011, and we are now incorporating that belief into our models for AT&T and Verizon,'” Paczkowski reports.
“Interestingly, Ratcliffe doesn’t see the end of AT&T’s iPhone-exclusivity deal with Apple heralding a subscriber exodus at the carrier,” Paczkowski reports. “While he acknowledges perception issues with AT&T’s network quality will inevitably drive some customers to flee to Verizon, he believes that many will stay put. All told, he expects approximately 500,000 to 1 million ‘switchers’ — a relatively small portion of the 9 million iPhones he says Verizon will activate in 2011.”
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Think twice before signing a long-term contract on that fake iPhone now, ya hear?
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “JES42” for the heads up.]
@LeftCoastDude
Hahahah
“one analyst has bravely stepped forward to put a date on the device’s market debut”
WTF?
Every year at the new iPhone launch there is an “impeding” date put to the rumor by one “analyst” or another.
I have decided that verizon customers must be stupid, painfully naive, exceptionally gullible, or more likely all three to keep believing this rumor as it trotted (unaltered) out every new iPhone launch.
Perhaps it is better for you verizon customers, we don’t need an aditional 9 million verizon idiots on the AT&T;network (AT&T;is now handling more data than all the others combined, as it is). You guys just keep telling yourselves that the “d-roid” is just as good as an iPhone or even <snicker> better because it has: (insert stupid feature, that dosen’t work properly anyway, here)
@LeftCoastDude, yep your rant was called for.
Seriously MDN, WTF? ATandT is no better or worse than BigV. They give me a decent deal on iPad connections and roll over minutes rock!
I love the ” fair and balanced” reporting you do for the apple world but too far is in fact too far
I guess analysis=guesswork now.
I think this guy is mostly right. Why else would ATT be so “generous” in allowing existing customers to get the new iPhone 4 right away (without penalty) if their contracts expire any time during the rest of 2010? ATT wants to lock them in for another two years, before this Verizon iPhone becomes real in “early 2011.”
Since a large portion of existing iPhone customers will get an iPhone 4 and a new two-year ATT contract during the next few months, if there is a Verizon iPhone early next year, the number of “switchers” will be limited during 2011. If ATT does not improve its image AND Verizon handles the iPhone data volume better, that “mass exodus” will happen in 2012.
But I think a Verizon iPhone will attract more than nine million buyers during its first year from Verizon’s existing-customer “switchers.” Verizon will be motivated to offer them an early out from their current Blackberry (or whatever) contracts.
VERIZON PRESS RELEASE: iPhone users and Apple lovers rejoice. Verizon is excited to announce the release of the long awaited CDMA version of Apple’s popular iPhone. Scheduled to be released in 1Q 2011 it is set to bring an unprecedented experience to America’s largest network. The current iPhone will make it’s debut relatively unchanged except for the exclusion of the home button. A wireless hotspot will be added to the iPhone enabling up to 8 wifi devices to be connected to Verizon’s superior data network. Like on Verizon’s other extremely popular handsets this service will remain free. To celebrate this momentous occasion Verizon will also be renaming the iPhone 4 to the “iPhone 4 Plus” to keep in line with their other superior smart phone offerings.
When will the Beatles come to iTunes?!
The people who should be the happiest about VZW iPhone rumors are ATT users. Why wouldn’t you want A) a bunch of users migrating from ATT’s network to VZW’s to take the strain off of ATT, and B) a bunch of new iPhone users who’ll see the wisdom and beauty of all things Apple?
A CDMA iPhone is something to be resolutely wished for, not a bad thing at all. And by the way, Verizon has been testing VoRA technology that allows simultaneous voice and data for some time now…
@ Gomer37:
Right name. Wrong post.
Even a broken clock I’s right twice a day. Just say for long enought that something will happen and it eventually will.
at&t;iphone contract won’t end till 2012 so can you people stop saying the iphone will go to verizon