“Be glad that Verizon Wireless isn’t getting the iPhone anytime soon – it’s the best thing that could happen for all of us,” Kevin Maney writes for Appolicious.
“Of course, it may not seem like the best thing for you, individually,” Maney writes. “You probably want the best smart phone (arguably Apple’s iPhone) on the best U.S. network (Verizon’s) – not the best smart phone on a so-so network or a so-so smart phone on the best network.”
Maney writes, “And yet, this is for the collective good. If Verizon had gotten the iPhone much earlier, the entire smart phone milieu would not be as vibrant as it is. If Verizon gets the iPhone now, the market won’t be all it could be… Eventually, the iPhone will no doubt wind up on Verizon. But, hopefully not for another year or so. Let the competitive market do a little more work to make the phones and networks better. We’ll all benefit.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Building on quicksand is a recipe for disaster, Kevin.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Henry A.” for the heads up.]
@WindozeKiller,
Amazing. This is the same company that released an iPod nano with a camera and video viewing capabilities one year, running millions of dollars worth of ads that touted the features, only to abruptly remove them the very next. If Steve thinks an iPhone on Verizon and Sprint means healthier earnings for Apple, do you really think he’ll hesitate because of some dumb ass commercial they ran a year ago?
As far as Steve is concerned, if you absolutely need an iPhone that can maintain a simultaneous voice and data connection then you can buy the ATT and/or T-Mobile model. He really doesn’t give a shit otherwise, and I’m sure he’ll express that to you in no uncertain terms should you e-mail him with such a complaint on your Verizon iPhone.
I am extremely happy that Android has had fertile ground to come from behind and give Apple a run for its money. For the record, I have bought 9 iPhones (one of each of the four versions for my girlfriend and I, plus one to replace a phone she broke). I have not bought a single Android phone.
But Apple needs competition. Yes even Apple with Steve Jobs needs competition. The iPhone is not the best on all fronts. Its not the best deal for tethering. I love the quality control of the iTunes App Store but I would like the option of buying apps at my own discretion from other stores. And more importantly, it could be better in ways you and I have not yet imagined. Some of those ways Apple will think of for us, but some will come from other places, most likely the Android ecosystem.
I hope Apple keeps breaking the mold and keeps being financially rewarded for it, but I am very happy Android picked up the gauntlet that Microsoft, Palm and RIM left laying on the floor. Even if the Android ecosystem only manages to copy Apple (and only make the meager profits they deserve for that) they will be doing all mobile phone users a favor by keeping the heat on, and Apple on its toes.
I am extremely happy that Android has had fertile ground to come from behind and give Apple a run for its money. For the record, I have bought 9 iPhones (one of each of the four versions for my girlfriend and I, plus one to replace a phone she broke). I have not bought a single Android phone.
But Apple needs competition. Yes even Apple with Steve Jobs needs competition. The iPhone is not the best on all fronts. Its not the best deal for tethering. I love the quality control of the iTunes App Store but I would like the option of buying apps at my own discretion from other stores. And more importantly, it could be better in ways you and I have not yet imagined. Some of those ways Apple will think of for us, but some will come from other places, most likely the Android ecosystem.
I hope Apple keeps breaking the mold and keeps being financially rewarded for it, but I am very happy Android picked up the gauntlet that Microsoft, Palm and RIM left laying on the floor. Even if the Android ecosystem only manages to copy Apple (and only make the meager profits they deserve for that) they will be doing all mobile phone users a favor by keeping the heat on, and Apple on its toes.
@ Silverhawk
Yes.
@ Silverhawk
Yes.
I live in southwest Connecticut and Verizon is the only good carrier here. AT&T is crap around here. I really want the iPhone but it’ll be only worth buying IF I CAN ACTUALLY MAKE CALLS. GET VERIZON ON THE IPHONE VERY SOON.
I live in southwest Connecticut and Verizon is the only good carrier here. AT&T is crap around here. I really want the iPhone but it’ll be only worth buying IF I CAN ACTUALLY MAKE CALLS. GET VERIZON ON THE IPHONE VERY SOON.
AT&T acquired Cingular, which means that apple joined the party (on launch day) when two companies were becoming 1. Did any other company have such a set up when the iPhone officially launched?
AT&T acquired Cingular, which means that apple joined the party (on launch day) when two companies were becoming 1. Did any other company have such a set up when the iPhone officially launched?
@Nevermind,
Can you demonstrate in any way how Android has kept Apple on its toes so far? What exactly has the competition spurred Apple to do that they otherwise wouldn’t? Did Android force them to add the iPhone 3GS’ video recorder or design the iOS 4.0 multi-tasking mechanism? Is Android the reason they created the iPad? I hope none of those are your examples.
I can’t see anything Apple has done over the past couple years that just wasn’t rolled out according to schedule, which is still at times frustratingly slow and obviously structured around the concept of planned obsolescence.
@Nevermind,
Can you demonstrate in any way how Android has kept Apple on its toes so far? What exactly has the competition spurred Apple to do that they otherwise wouldn’t? Did Android force them to add the iPhone 3GS’ video recorder or design the iOS 4.0 multi-tasking mechanism? Is Android the reason they created the iPad? I hope none of those are your examples.
I can’t see anything Apple has done over the past couple years that just wasn’t rolled out according to schedule, which is still at times frustratingly slow and obviously structured around the concept of planned obsolescence.
Gah I hate verison. They put ridiculous limits on then won’t tell you how close you are to those limits, there tech support sucks, and if you use them for data they drop the connection every 5-30 minutes (not to mention vzam sucks and screws up your machine)
Gah I hate verison. They put ridiculous limits on then won’t tell you how close you are to those limits, there tech support sucks, and if you use them for data they drop the connection every 5-30 minutes (not to mention vzam sucks and screws up your machine)
Here’s something for you all to consider.
It is rumored that Apple is going with a new baseband chipset (from Qualcomm?) that will do both GSM and CDMA from the same chip. If true, in the short term this allows Apple to sell to pretty much any customer it wants. In the US this means AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. There’s also a large number of CDMA networks in Japan and South Korea. Don’t laugh or underestimate the importance of this. CDMA (while it still has the shortcoming of no simultaneous voice and data) is a superior technology to GSM. It would be hard to explain why in short terms, but I will try. GSM has a fixed number of terminals per antenna (terminals means end-point devices, like phones and wifi modems). If that number were 2000 (and I don’t know what the actual number is, this is just a mental exercise), then 2 antennas/towers would allow for 4000 simultaneous terminal connections. CDMA doesn’t work that way. It scales more like a geometric curve. With each tower you add, you can handle more terminals than a mere linear curve, e.g. 2 towers = 5000+, 3 towers = 9000+, that sort of thing. The only real downside, as has been mentioned, is the inability to do simultaneous voice and data. CDMA vs. GSM is like Betamax vs. VHS, in a sense.
Now, perhaps you can see why Verizon has the “Nations largest 3G Network” or any of the other things they are bragging about. CDMA means they scale better than GSM.
Here’s the interesting thing, though. Verizon and AT&T are going to use LTE for their 4G network. Guess what… LTE is based on GSM. What does that mean for Verizon? Yeah. They’re in the hurt box. Suddenly that CDMA advantage goes bye-bye. All of the fun they’ve been having at AT&T’s expense? They know what the writing on the wall is. AT&T is already fully GSM and therefore much more ready for LTE rollout. CDMA will be with us for several years to come. Apple is smart to get in the hands of those potential customers before we’re all on a more or less unified platform (LTE).
Also of note: LTE/4G is fully IP based. Voice and data are not differentiated as such any more. It’s all going to be over IP. Your calls will be VoIP and therefore all phones on LTE will be able to do voice and data at the same time.
Here’s something for you all to consider.
It is rumored that Apple is going with a new baseband chipset (from Qualcomm?) that will do both GSM and CDMA from the same chip. If true, in the short term this allows Apple to sell to pretty much any customer it wants. In the US this means AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. There’s also a large number of CDMA networks in Japan and South Korea. Don’t laugh or underestimate the importance of this. CDMA (while it still has the shortcoming of no simultaneous voice and data) is a superior technology to GSM. It would be hard to explain why in short terms, but I will try. GSM has a fixed number of terminals per antenna (terminals means end-point devices, like phones and wifi modems). If that number were 2000 (and I don’t know what the actual number is, this is just a mental exercise), then 2 antennas/towers would allow for 4000 simultaneous terminal connections. CDMA doesn’t work that way. It scales more like a geometric curve. With each tower you add, you can handle more terminals than a mere linear curve, e.g. 2 towers = 5000+, 3 towers = 9000+, that sort of thing. The only real downside, as has been mentioned, is the inability to do simultaneous voice and data. CDMA vs. GSM is like Betamax vs. VHS, in a sense.
Now, perhaps you can see why Verizon has the “Nations largest 3G Network” or any of the other things they are bragging about. CDMA means they scale better than GSM.
Here’s the interesting thing, though. Verizon and AT&T are going to use LTE for their 4G network. Guess what… LTE is based on GSM. What does that mean for Verizon? Yeah. They’re in the hurt box. Suddenly that CDMA advantage goes bye-bye. All of the fun they’ve been having at AT&T’s expense? They know what the writing on the wall is. AT&T is already fully GSM and therefore much more ready for LTE rollout. CDMA will be with us for several years to come. Apple is smart to get in the hands of those potential customers before we’re all on a more or less unified platform (LTE).
Also of note: LTE/4G is fully IP based. Voice and data are not differentiated as such any more. It’s all going to be over IP. Your calls will be VoIP and therefore all phones on LTE will be able to do voice and data at the same time.
Why keep arguing this dead horse conversation? Does it really matter what all these analyst say anymore. until there is a prototype out in the wild getting spotted here and there, forget about all this nonsense. Only Apple knows what their game plan is. Android isn’t iOS by no means but it really isn’t too bad for a substitute.
As it goes ALL CELLULAR COMPANIES SUCK ASS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. THANK YOU FCC!
Argue all you want who is better, it’s all a regional opinion anyway. what’s good in area is bad in another. Until the government grasp the notion that we are so damn behind most of the modern world and start easing restrictions for structure building this is just a dumb argument.
Why keep arguing this dead horse conversation? Does it really matter what all these analyst say anymore. until there is a prototype out in the wild getting spotted here and there, forget about all this nonsense. Only Apple knows what their game plan is. Android isn’t iOS by no means but it really isn’t too bad for a substitute.
As it goes ALL CELLULAR COMPANIES SUCK ASS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. THANK YOU FCC!
Argue all you want who is better, it’s all a regional opinion anyway. what’s good in area is bad in another. Until the government grasp the notion that we are so damn behind most of the modern world and start easing restrictions for structure building this is just a dumb argument.
Verizon is actually a conglomerate of multiple companies. Each of these companies must be negotiated with in order to sign a contract with apple. No easy task. And this is all in process. Anything can blow this up… but it is going to happen…
Verizon is actually a conglomerate of multiple companies. Each of these companies must be negotiated with in order to sign a contract with apple. No easy task. And this is all in process. Anything can blow this up… but it is going to happen…
@R2,
I can’t tell you how Apple would have rolled things out differently without the growing threat of Android any more than you can, with any credibility. But fair competition never hurt the consumer, or any company with its game on, and the lack of it has. Not sure how some great things Apple has done (iPad, etc) are supposed to show that Econ 101 is no longer valid.
@R2,
I can’t tell you how Apple would have rolled things out differently without the growing threat of Android any more than you can, with any credibility. But fair competition never hurt the consumer, or any company with its game on, and the lack of it has. Not sure how some great things Apple has done (iPad, etc) are supposed to show that Econ 101 is no longer valid.
I don’t like Venison, too gamey.
I don’t like Venison, too gamey.
Kevin. You’re an idiot. Take my iPhone and see how happy you are with dropped calls almost daily. It may not be all AT&T’s fault. Maybe the iPhone could use some improvement? All I know is I’m tired of losing calls. I basically have an iPod Touch with a lousy phone attached. That’s reality. I do wonder why people with regular cell phones on AT&T standing next to me don’t ever have dropped calls? Sorry, I’m not a kool aid drinker. I just want it to work. All other features on my iPhone work so it makes you wonder?
Kevin. You’re an idiot. Take my iPhone and see how happy you are with dropped calls almost daily. It may not be all AT&T’s fault. Maybe the iPhone could use some improvement? All I know is I’m tired of losing calls. I basically have an iPod Touch with a lousy phone attached. That’s reality. I do wonder why people with regular cell phones on AT&T standing next to me don’t ever have dropped calls? Sorry, I’m not a kool aid drinker. I just want it to work. All other features on my iPhone work so it makes you wonder?