AT&T iPhone exclusivity extended to 2010?
Apple's deal with AT&T obviously got re-done in order to get the iPhone 3G on the street for a subsidized $199, but it looks like Steve gave in on a little more than revenue-sharing when he re-upped with Ma Bell: USA Today says that AT&T's US exclusive on the iPhone has been extended for an additional year, until 2010. The extension isn't officially announced, but it's being cited in the context of a long interview with AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, who's quoted as saying things like "The iPhone has repositioned AT&T as the premier wireless brand in the world." So yeah, dude's a fan -- and with iPhone customers spending almost double on rate plans than the average AT&T customer, it's not hard to see why. Looks like our dream of glorious data plan price wars will have to wait until Android makes a splash later this year.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dave @ Aug 1st 2008 6:15PM
Who cares?
SuperSexyErik (^_^) @ Aug 1st 2008 7:48PM
those people who want an iphone on a different carrier.
which is a lot.
slamEVIL @ Aug 1st 2008 7:29PM
"So yeah, dude's a fan..."
yeah, of the MONEY, not the phone.
fini @ Aug 1st 2008 7:50PM
wasn't the original iPhone de for 5 years. I was expecting 2012, not 2010. That means we will now see a CDMA iPhone sooner than previously thought. The whole $199 iPhone thing real did have an affect on the contract. This is good news for all the people who didn't want to switch to AT&T. Now u only got to wait 2 years instead of 4.
Todd M. @ Aug 1st 2008 8:33PM
Exactly... seems to me like Ma Bell did the giving up. It was explicitly stated that it was a 5 year exclusive beginning in 2007. This is Apple leveraging it's power in controlling the most desirable mobile device on the planet.
helixtimestwo @ Aug 1st 2008 11:17PM
Verizon is moving towards LTE (GSM evoulution) In the US, so CDMA will be limited to Sprint by 2012.
By then we'll hopefully see an iPhone that can be used on either network
Navi Thach @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:07AM
I would love to see a CDMA or LTE iPhone - I'm sick of the LG garbage VZW peddles.
obsurfersocal @ Aug 1st 2008 11:27PM
All this iPhone news is just taking your mind off the REAL issues. Like the war, health care, violence, the twisted media, corrupt politics, a policed state. Wake up America, it's like the movie Wall E, everyone has this mask over their eyes consisting of video games, reality tv, american idol, brad and angelina, and yes even gadgets.
Go to The Story of Stuff dot com. It's partially what I'm talking about.
nmmalone @ Aug 2nd 2008 12:34AM
Any chance for a CDMA version of the iphone?
applesandoranges @ Aug 2nd 2008 2:11AM
ROFL. are you serious? maybe LTE..
Jeff @ Aug 4th 2008 10:16AM
Almost "Double" on rate plans than an average AT&T customer?
Sorry, but I think not. For regular phones? Yes. For PDAs and Blackberrys? No. Same price.
And I'm sorry - but the iPhone IS a PDA. Exchange Email, Calendar, Contacts, Full Web Browsing... That's a PDA my friend. People on iPhones are paying just as much as I do on my Motorola Q. While I don't like how much I pay - the iPhone IS a PDA and should be treated like one!