At last: The iPhone comes to Verizon.
At last: The iPhone comes to Verizon. We’ve heard rumors about it for years. It’s the only story with as many articles written about it as the Apple tablet. And now, it’s reality. So, do we still care?
The iPhone debuted on AT&T in July of 2007 and quickly and easily rose to unquestionable dominance. 2010 saw iOS forced to share its podium with the Android platform after Google’s ‘little OS that could’ had a stellar year. That stellar year was brought on almost single handedly by Verizon’s onslaught of Android devices and huge ad campaign that accompanied it. Talk to a non-techy person about phones -most of them don’t even know it’s called ‘ANdroid’. And how could you blame them? No other Wireless carrier has even approached Verizon’s level of Android marketing.
So why do we still care? Why does Verizon still care? They’ve managed to maintain a huge chunk of the wireless market without Apple’s ‘Jesus phone’. They will be more than willing to welcome AT&T users over to their much larger coverage area. They have the three major components in spades: The Best Network, A Great Selection of Android Phones and at long last the iPhone.
What does AT&T do now? I’d recommend they pray. But in more practical options, build out their Android options. Visual voicemail for fandroids would be nice. Also, push the hell out of Windows Phone 7. They and Microsoft have declared themselves premiere partners in this venture. It’s the one thing they have over Verizon at this point and they need to take advantage of that while it’s still the case. I believe WP7 has a strong future ahead of it and the 2 companies handle it properly AT&T can avoid a catastrophic loss of market share and Microsoft can grab a comfortable chunk of the mobile market.
I don’t think that we’re going to see AT&T iPhone users flock to VZW in droves. Many of us are hoping that the decreased strain on the network will help the situation. Only time will tell. I think there will a lot of people who walk into Verizon stores intending to buy an iPhone and walk out with one of VZW’s impressive Droid line up.
One thing’s for sure: with so much hype and anticipation surrounding this event, there will be no shortage of coverage along the way.