Will Verizon get the iPhone?
I did a stupid thing this weekend. So stupid, I feel embarrassed admitting it.
I left my cellphone in my pants pocket and it went into the washer. It came out pristinely clean and completely destroyed. It wasn’t an expensive phone–it’s the LG enV2 model from Verizon–but since we only have cellphones in our household, no land line, accidentally destroying a cell phone does present some unique challenges.
After debating my options, including whether I could get a new phone by the time I left for Washington last night, I called a friend to whom I’d loaned an old phone of mine and asked for its return. Fortunately, she still had it, and it was not in use.
So after getting this old phone from her, and sighing at how large and clunky it looks after only a few years, I called up Verizon to activate it. Afterwards, I gave the phone to Lynn to talk to the representative about ordering a new one. She gets a kick out of wheeling and dealing with these people to get the best deal she can. I’m not particular about the kind of phone I use, so I’d rather just let her order the phone for me.
The point of this post is that, at one point in the conversation, I heard her ask about the iPhone. Previously I’d mentioned to her this rumor from back in April that Apple and Verizon are in talks over the iPhone, so she knew I wanted one, as long as I don’t have to switch providers. After Lynn got off the phone, I asked her what the rep told her.
He said that although they aren’t supposed to say anything about it, Verizon is getting the iPhone in 2010, once Apple’s contract with AT&T expires. He also said the phone would be red. My wife told him “Thank you, we’ll just use this old phone until then,” and so he lost a sale.
Do I believe him about the iPhone? On the one hand, it makes no sense for him to lie to people who want the iPhone, since it makes them less likely to buy a phone now.
On the other hand, he’s just a sales rep. What does he know? Probably nothing. Why would Verizon tell its low-level employees a secret so big it would literally make national headlines, if word leaked out?
Still, I want to believe.
Ever since the iPhone debuted, I’ve grumbled about Apple’s exclusive relationhip with AT&T which (from my perspective) makes no sense. Verizon is the largest carrier in the United States. But even if it weren’t the largest, shouldn’t Apple want their product available to as many people as possible? In my opinion, every cell phone company ought to be able to provide the iPhone to their customers, if they want it. I realize business doesn’t often make that much sense, however. Companies sign contracts with each other and have to honor them, for better or worse.
Maybe at the time the AT&T contract was the best Apple could get. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are trying to do better, now. Maybe the whole Apple/Verizon rumor is just a leveraging tactic meant to get a better deal from AT&T, however.
All I know is, having bought an iPod Touch recently, I’ve been given a taste of what the iPhone can do. I want one. I want one very, very much.