Apple Partners Thrilled About Possible Verizon iPhone
Although it's just rumors at this point, Apple partners are happy to hear that the iPhone may be coming to Verizon.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Apple has two new models of the iPhone up its sleeve that will run on Verizon's CDMA network. Until now, the iPhone has been running exclusively on AT&T's GSM network. The launch could happen as early as this summer, according to The Wall Street Journal
A Verizon spokesperson contacted by Channelweb.com declined to comment on the rumor. Apple also couldn't be reached for comment.
The iPhone hasn't had a seamless ride with AT&T in terms of service, and its users in cities such as New York and San Francisco, where iPhone usage is highest, have complained of service issues.
In spite of these problems, many Apple partners believe the iPhone has helped spark the mobile computing revolution, and they'd like to see Apple extend its popular smart phone to as many potential customers as possible.
"Nobody seems to know how long AT&T exclusivity lasts, whether Apple is waiting for Verizon to build out their LTE [4G] network before offering the iPhone on their system or if they are exploring interim options," said Nick Gold, senior account executive for Baltimore, Md.-based Chesapeake Systems.
"With that said, AT&T is obviously improving their current network, the main areas that had problems are getting fixed and nobody knows how well Verizon's network would actually hold up under 'iPhone-load."
Other Apple VARs suspect the company's desire to expand the iPhone to a broader audience outweighs any concerns over the ability for Verizon's network to handle it.
"While I suspect that the success of the iPhone that has resulted in quality concerns is a component, I think that the competition, primarily from Google, and the desire for greater market share would be the main driving forces behind Apple's decision [to allow Verizon to sell the iPhone]," said John Eaton, president of San Francisco-based solution provider Eaton & Associates.
Next: Other Apple VARs Weigh In
Eaton finds it hard to imagine that Apple would extend exclusivity to AT&T forever, and he doesn't think either party can complain about their return on investment.
"For Apple, it means they will probably sell more iPhones; for AT&T, they had better fix their underperforming infrastructure and address our (consumer's) concerns or we will all vote with our feet," Eaton said. "As for us iPhone users, I think this could result in a reduction in costs over time, and improved quality for all cell phone users as infrastructure investment increases."
All of these possibilities are still just rumors, says Michael Oh, president of Boston-based Apple reseller Tech Superpowers. However, he does feel that tapping into Verizon would help Apple.
"It would obviously silence people who said the AT&T network is the Achilles' heel of Apple's strategy," Oh said. "But there are potential downsides (such as) having two different model phones out there for two types of networks -- Apple likes fewer SKUs.
"Verizon's network is better than AT&T's because it doesn't have iPhone users clogging up the airwaves, but once they get the iPhone, they will have similar capacity issues, although one would guess they would be able to predict the usage better than AT&T did," Oh said.