“It was supposed to be the day Verizon finally joined the Apple big leagues by getting a compatible iModel on launch day, and the roadmap for the upcoming Verizon iPhone 5. Instead, today’s iPad 2 launch was marked as the day upon which Apple couldn’t seem to give away the Verizon iPad 2, even after (way too) quickly running out of AT&T and wifi-only iPad 2 models,” Beatweek Magazine writes.
“It was just one Apple Store, one crowd of first day iPad 2 buyers, but the implication couldn’t be more clear: despite the freewheeling data plans on the iPad which allow buyers to choose their data plan carrier regardless of what their existing cellphone contract situation might be, when those who had waited for hours in a pitifully slow-crawling line were finally informed that the AT&T 3G iPad 2 was gone, those tired and disgusted would-be customers simply went home empty handed,” Beatweek Magazine writes. “Nevermind the efforts of the sales folk who were singing the virtues of the Verizon iPad 2. No one wanted it. And that makes you wonder whether the world (or the nation, to be accurate) really wants a Verizon iPhone 5.”
Beatweek Magazine writes, “Make no mistake, the Verizon iPhone 5 will sell by the bucketload (assuming Apple actually decides to manufacture some iPhone 5 units ahead of time; the near total lack of iPad 2 inventory on hand for today’s launch was one of the more stunning failures in Apple’s history). But those sales will largely go to existing Verizon customers. Today made clear that existing AT&T iPhone users are sticking with AT&T going forward.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Our 3G iPad 2s are AT&T simply because we want to maintain our unlimited data plans. The slightly faster data speed offered by AT&T over Verizon doesn’t hurt, either. We’re willing to give up some coverage areas in spots (and gain it others) to keep our grandfathered-in unlimited data.
As long as it’s not voice, we choose AT&T. Our iPhone 4s are Verizon.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Sarah” for the heads up.]