iPhone, AT&T, and Verizon’s Open Platform
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Everyone in the mobile industry is excited about Verizon’s new initiative to provide an open platform were all compatible phones can connect and be used through Verizon’s network. This is a big step towards mobile platform independence and Verizon needs to be congratulated for their effort. However, where does iPhone stand with this? For one, it seems iPhone is contracted to at&t for 5 very long years. Of course, it seems there is a loophole where Apple could come up with a different version of iPhone, let’s say Open iPhone, that could be used with Open networks. One main problem is that Verizon’s network is CDMA-based and not GSM, but if there is such a loophole, then Apple should take advantage of it. iPhone belongs to all and should be enabled to be used with all compatible mobile networks. Let’s hope!
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You are clearly living on a planet with no capitalism. To Apple, iPhone is a way of making money. Verizon has already told Apple that it is unwilling to share its network revenues with them. That is why AT&T and Apple have an 5-year. exclusive agreement. You don’t think that AT&T’s lawyers and negotiators took the possibility of “another version of iPhone” into account in drafting that agreement? iPhone doesn’t belong to all; it belongs to those who pay for it, and it isn’t cheap!
December 29th, 2007 at 9:29 pm -
AT&T and T-Mobile have both had a true open platform at least since they went GSM. Use any any GSM phone, just buy a SIM card from ATT or t-mobile for 10 or 15 bucks.
Verizon’s gesture is not particularly meaningful unless you want to switch from the third place carrier, Sprint and own one of their phones already and don’t want to upgrade. Oh and Verizon still has to verify compatibility/quality. Any guesses on how easy that will be?
December 30th, 2007 at 12:24 pm -
Well, that may be true, but at&t tried to make it as hard as possible for people to use iPhone as unlocked. I know there are hacks out there but at&t clearly doesn’t want you to use T-mobile on iPhone and why would they.
December 30th, 2007 at 9:19 pm -
Paul, I am sure there is a lengthy contract by at&t trying to limit Apple on what they can do but there got to be a loophole. I am no legal expert however, so I can’t say for sure if there is one.
December 30th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
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