Why Verizon Needs the iPhone More Than Apple Needs Verizon

[Paul Daniel Ash]

A new analyst report shows an alarming drop in Verizon's smartphone sales beginning last summer, just as iPhone 4 sales took off, and all Verizon smartphone sales severely lagging the iPhone. The numbers, which got big play on Fortune and the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital site, may indicate why Verizon is now ready to play ball with Apple, after years of turning them down.

ITG Investment Research analyst Matthew Goodman's report underscored the well-known fact that Verizon has bet heavily on Android, showing that handsets based on Google's OS made up 80% of smartphone sales last month, with 46% of them being Motorola Droids. As recently as two years ago, RIM was bragging about how the BlackBerry was Verizon's best-selling device, but now they're below 20% at the largest US carrier. These numbers - which are apparently based on independent retailer reports and are not a leak as was initially reported - were also looked over by Horace Dediu at asymco, who uncovered another interesting trend. In the third quarter of this year, AT&T not only sold more iPhones than Verizon sold smartphones from every manufacturer, it also outsold them by a factor of nearly two to one. Fewer than 3 million smartphones of any kind were activated on Verizon in the third quarter, while AT&T activated more than 5 million iPhones.

This fact, probably more than any other reason, may have led Verizon to drop its hard-line stance and begin negotiating in earnest. According to most reports, Verizon came to the table in August of this year, right as smartphone sales began their tumble. A recent study indicates that Verizon may double its smartphone sales by bringing the iPhone on board. Since the carriers make their money in service fees, not handset sales, this would represent significant income for years.

Source: AllThingsD

[ajones330]

So its safe to say Big Red will do whatever it takes to get the iPhone on their network. Android has hit its plateau on their network.

[saunupe1911]

Why is everyone surprised? This was inevitable. Verizon was banking that the iPhone 4 would suck or iPhones would lose their luster. On the other hand, iPhone 4 ended up being the best smartphone of its generation. Only the EVO can be named in the same breath and its on Sprint.

[DRFP]

Verizon and At&t both suck I had much better service in the UK

[saunupe1911]

I'm also really anxious to see how an iPhone 4 would perform on Verizon's network. I want to see if their bandwidth can back up all the hype.

I also believe the next iPhone will be 4G (probably LTE) and at least 4 inches long. As of matter of fact, I would bet a large lump sum of cash on it

[cpkirkley]

I really hope that they start carrying it so these bandwagon jumpres can can finally leave. AT&Ts problems come from a severely overloaded network, and People that stay with AT&T after Verizons release would really reap the benefits.

Our 3g is at times faster that T-Mobiles "4G".

[saunupe1911]

I really hope that they start carrying it so these bandwagon jumpres can can finally leave. AT&Ts problems come from a severely overloaded network, and People that stay with AT&T after Verizons release would really reap the benefits.

Our 3g is at times faster that T-Mobiles "4G".

EXACTLY!!!

I'm not giving my simultaneous talk and data feature for no one. I've been using that on AT&T since the original Samsung Blackjack.

[DRFP]

for some reason At&t did not keep cingular as the name and used the tarnished At&t name........... I think all along thats why some jump to hate them, before they Bought Cingular, At&t rented time with others and it was terrible it has gotten better I have even had decent customer service, some people expect way too much at times, these people should not be kissing your butt any more then you do when you work.

[wolverinemarky]

wow thats very sad news for android, the iphone outsold all smartphones on verizon 2-fold thats pretty shocking. oh well welcome to the family verizon make sure u pump those iphone crush android commercials lol

[DRFP]

wow thats very sad news for android, the iphone outsold all smartphones on verizon 2-fold thats pretty shocking. oh well welcome to the family verizon make sure u pump those iphone crush android commercials lol

lol I like both Iphone and Android,

Its BB I want to see crushed as Palm has been

Black Berry is pitiful with 15,000 apps

RIM tweeted yesterday that the BlackBerry App World portal is now home to 15,000 apps, up from 10,000 in September. It’s still a far cry from the iOS App Store’s 300,000-ish and the Android Market’s 100,000-odd apps, plus Windows Phone isn’t that far behind BlackBerry with 3,000 apps after just a few weeks. Also, as Kyle points out, about 3800 of those in App World are themes, and another 3200 are references and e-books; whether or not those count as proper “apps” is your call. This 15,000 app-mark shouldn’t be indicative of the entire marketplace, though; that number doesn’t take into account the BlackBerry apps sold through third parties like GetJar, MobiHand, Handango, and other popular destinations.

Took me over 5 minutes to even find the amount http://www.intomobile.com/2010/12/01...ld-15000-apps/

[cpkirkley]

LOL at the thought of watching Verizon Commercials that bash android.

although on the flip side, once it hits you should be able to get the Incredible or the Droid X for like 69 cents...

[DRFP]

LOL at the thought of watching Verizon Commercials that bash android.

although on the flip side, once it hits you should be able to get the Incredible or the Droid X for like 69 cents...

We got the Captivate for free and $19 ( we bought 2 for our sons) cheaper then Iphone

Although I bought a blemished 3GS for $19 ( it was not truly blemished it was near mint)

[w00master]

LOL at the thought of watching Verizon Commercials that bash android.

although on the flip side, once it hits you should be able to get the Incredible or the Droid X for like 69 cents...

While that would be interesting and definitely a turn about change, I doubt you'll see these sorts of ads coming from Verizon. You'll see them for Apple but not VZW.

[vedavis]

Simultaneous voice and data is a big plus for ATT. I wonder if AAPL has a hardware trick for VZ to simulate that.

[rockness724]

for some reason At&t did not keep cingular as the name and used the tarnished At&t name........... I think all along thats why some jump to hate them, before they Bought Cingular, At&t rented time with others and it was terrible it has gotten better I have even had decent customer service, some people expect way too much at times, these people should not be kissing your butt any more then you do when you work.

I agree!

[thetoothfairy]

This is the reason that Verizon has buyers regret! What a awful feeling it must be! A stupid move back then for Verizon! Goes to show you who the real business was back then...

[FlyingJoey]

You mean iPhone 5. It wouldn't make any sense to re-introduce the iPhone 4, when the iPhone 5 is right around the corner.

Unless Apple launches the iPhone Universal (aka iphone 5) in Feb. and it's a CDMA/GSM/WiMax/LTE device. A phone like that would destroy AT&T.

[thetoothfairy]

You mean iPhone 5. It wouldn't make any sense to re-introduce the iPhone 4, when the iPhone 5 is right around the corner.

Unless Apple launches the iPhone Universal (aka iphone 5) in Feb. and it's a CDMA/GSM/WiMax/LTE device. A phone like that would destroy AT&T.

Once Apple is out of contract with AT&T they might... however I don't think Apple would do that just yet to AT&T. They have been working pretty close all of these years together... just my thought!

[cubanito37]

Verizon and At&t both suck I had much better service in the UK

You know those planes fly the other way also. All carriers have issues, all of them everywhere!

[ty22]

You mean iPhone 5. It wouldn't make any sense to re-introduce the iPhone 4, when the iPhone 5 is right around the corner.

Unless Apple launches the iPhone Universal (aka iphone 5) in Feb. and it's a CDMA/GSM/WiMax/LTE device. A phone like that would destroy AT&T.

I would love WiMAX on an iPhone but I see WiMAX in particular never happening.

lol I like both Iphone and Android,

Its BB I want to see crushed as Palm has been

Black Berry is pitiful with 15,000 apps

Palm won't be crushed for long. If you don't know, HP bought them (yes I know their computers are crappy) but they are a gigantic tech company. They won't interfere with Palm as a business, they are just throwing tons of cash at them. WebOS is a fantastic OS and HP is throwing everything behind it. Palm will be back soon.