The Verizon Iphone Means The Smartphone War Is Hotting Up!
The recent announcement by Apple that the next iPhone to be released will be a Verizon
capable iPhone 4 will be music to many, particularly those who do not want to move away from Verizon in order to own an iPhone. This latest move by Apple is the next salvo in the smartphone war to win consumers and Apple look set to win. Again.
The iPhone's Continuing Rise
Evidence gathered by comScore suggests that people are more loyal to their preferred phone carrier than they are to their phone. In other words, people who are with Verizon but want to own an iPhone tend to stay with Verizon and will live without an iPhone. On February 10, 2011 these people will be given the opportunity to stay with their preferred carrier and own an iPhone. When you look at the Smartphone share by carrier, where 63% of phones on the AT&T network are iPhones, you can see the potential for Apple to do well out of this latest move!
Will AT&T Suffer?
The next obvious question is whether iPhone owners on the AT&T network will now migrate over to the Verizon network. If we accept the comScore study that suggests people are more loyal to their phone carrier than their phone then the answer is probably no.
The Smartphone War is Hotting Up!
Regardless of whether there will be a migration of iPhone owners from AT&T to Verizon, the simple fact that the iPhone is now available on the two largest mobile networks in the US means that 2011 will be the year of the smartphone!
Who will be the winner? The iPhone, Google's Android or the Blackberry? Let's sit back and watch the show!