Monday, October 26, 2009

Verizon CEO: iPhone on Verizon up to Apple

Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said Monday that bringing the iPhone to Verizon is up to Apple.

Seidenberg's disclosure came as Verizon has launched several new ads designed at touting its network's superiority to AT&T, which currently carries the iPhone exclusively. Verizon has also launched a series of ads that present its upcoming Droid phone as an iPhone killer, leading to speculation that Apple has no plans to partner with Verizon.

"This is a decision that is exclusively in Apple's court," Seidenberg said. "Obviously we would be interested if they thought it would make sense for them to have us as a partner. And so we will leave it with them on that score. We want to broaden the base of choice for customers, and hopefully along the way, Apple, as well as others, will decide to jump on the bandwagon."

15 comments:

Wade said...

Verizon has iPhone and AT&T envy. Does Verizon attack Sprint? No. The ONLY reason Verizon bought Alltel was to upstage AT&T. It didn't take long for Verizon to put out "we're the biggest now" commercials.

iPhone will never come to Verizon for several reasons. (1) Verizon uses CDMA and not the global GSM like AT&T does; (2) Apple loves shutting out competition. If Apple didn't, why can't I buy OSX and install it on my custom built computer without a hack? Apple is not an "open" company; (3) AT&T would fight tooth-and-nail to prevent this from happening; (4) Verizon is a company that loves to control its users as much as Apple does. The profits for apps go to Apple and the maker, not Verizon. Phone-crippling Verizon won't like that. And Apple won't like Verizon cutting in to its profits either.

Verizon can dream and keep putting out the envy commercials. But iPhone won't be on Verizon unless Congress says otherwise.

Anonymous said...

I would love to get an iPhone but I won't go back to AT&T to get it. Verizon has the best service, period and I'm not willing to go elsewhere. Maybe I'll tell that to Apple. I'm sure there are others who are not willing to settle for poor service from AT&T.

Van said...

I would go BACK to Verizon in a nano-second if they got the iPhone!

Anonymous said...

i'm a verizon customer and would love to have an iphone. get with it verizon and get the iphone

Anonymous said...

AT&T 3G in downtown charlotte is NOT working. Pathetic service from AT&T, but i love my iphone and willing to suffer through awful service.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't be paid enough to leave Verizon for AT&T. I've never heard a good thing about AT&T's service. My brother has an iPhone and says he'd pay $1,000 to switch to Verizon with it. Given Apple's preference for quality (I can hear you anti-Apple bloggers typing away), I'm surprised they wouldn't make the switch away from AT&T in a heartbeat. I'd love to have an iPhone, but I won't suffer through poor service for it.

Anonymous said...

Check out the Verizon Imagio. It's an amazing Win 6.5, GLOBAL, 5 mega pix, touch pda that surpasses the iphone in my opinion. I'll keep the Imagio over the IPhone any day!

Anonymous said...

iphone is just a phone.

at&t and verizon are just carriers.

Anonymous said...

Verizon and AT&T both suck. Why bother with an Iphone when you can get a Palm Pre with webOS that blows away the Iphone? Only on Sprint. Only on the Now Network.

Anonymous said...

I have a simple phone with Sprint (which works great and doesn't drop calls) as well as an iPod Touch. It sucks carrying 2 devices, but beyond that it's the best of both worlds - You'd be surprised how easy it is to find Free Wi-Fi around Charlotte...

Anonymous said...

I would absolutely have an iPhone if Verizon had it available. AT&T wireless sucks bigtime. As a Chauffeur, I have seen alot of clients use AT&T and get cut off repeatedly during very very important business conversations such as conference calls and watch them and hear them get frustrated and I say it must be AT&T. I tell them this area is pretty much ruled by Verizon.
I will stay with Verizon since I sometimes go to rural areas where the cows and chickens live and Verizon barely works and NEXTEL and Iphone is non functioning.

Anonymous said...

To the 4:47 poster... I also bought the Verizon Imagio.. BEST phone I've EVER had, bar none! I love the mobile tv, too. Why would anyone want the iphone over this??

Anonymous said...

Verizon had their chance at the iPhone exclusivity and said NO.

I hope iPhone never goes to Verizon. It should first go to T-Mobile (USA) since it would require hardware modifications to work on Verizon’s CDMA network.

Verizon can get the iPhone when LTE is the norm and whatnot.

Anonymous said...

People... check your facts before you post stupid comments

Verizon was offered iPhone exclusivity from Apple and said NO so AT&T took the offer. So “it is what it is”.

For me Verizon had barely any reception for voice calls, and no data reception, at home (I moved outside of Charlotte) while AT&T has perfect reception and still ahs great 3G speed at my new location...

Needless to say it was a no brainer to go with AT&T and the iPhone and you couldn’t pay me enough to switch from AT&T to VZW.

Anonymous said...

This fool must work for AT&T. I was with them for years and it was by far the worst service, coverage, etc I have every experienced. I love Verizon but I'll be damned if I'm going with that trashy AT&T just to have an iPhone. Verizon offers the Droid now so just go burn!