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Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

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Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#91

Post by prewett »

ctdonath wrote: post #45
biot wrote: post #9

> "Five years ago, the Motorola Razr was the top-selling phone," says > Credit Suisse analyst Jonathan Chaplin. "Imagine trying to sell 6 > million of them today." The thing about the RAZR is that it was a sleek, small form factor. I don't remember anyone who had one tout its functionality as the reason they got it. So the next sleek phone or better featured phone could easily displace it. The iPhone on the other han…

The RAZR is still pretty much the epitome of "just a phone" in contrast with modern smartphones. Nothing really surpasses it, save for Verizon crippling them. Optimize it for what it will be used for, instead of making it do what users don't want, and it would sell well unto 6 million today. There are plenty of us who have suitable portable computers (iPad in particular) who don't want an iPad Nano overlapping functi…

The RAZR I had just prior to getting an iPhone was a horrible experience. It looked nice, the hardware seemed to function ok, but the software was terrible. When navigating the menus, no matter where my thumb was, the next press needed to be on the opposite side of the keypad. I don't remember what my phone before it was (Nokia maybe?), but I remember my thumb was always were it needed to be. I hated that RAZR. Thinking about it brings up feelings akin to fingernails on a chalkboard.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#93

Post by blinkingled »

I am unsure that lack of iPhone is Sprint's sole big problem. For some time now they have messed up with 4G and their 3G speeds aren't anything to write about either. And last time I drove through the US across 4 states my wife's Epic 4G had the least coverage.

And iPhone is more available today - you can buy it unlocked, you can buy it on AT&T or Verizon. So the only people that are really going to buy iPhone on Sprint are the smaller number that have only Sprint coverage (theoretical - not sure if that is valid) and only want an iPhone. The second smaller group will be the people within Sprint's 4G coverage areas that like Sprint's data plan better - as the speeds aren't all that great on WiMax compared to competition.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#94

Post by wlesieutre »

Lewisham wrote: post #42
kenjackson wrote: post #25

BGR is reporting that the iPhone5 may be a Sprint exclusive. That's pretty big for Sprint. Explains why Sprint has been completely mum about Windows Phone Mango. If this is true, it might be time for me to leave Sprint. http://www.bgr.com/2011/10/03/sprint-guarantees-to-buy-over-...

I can believe this story. Apple spins it that Sprint is ready now, AT&T and Verizon need to get their LTE networks ready. It'll be a very public push. Apple has never shied away from telling their "partners" exactly how annoyed they are at [X] facet of their business. If this did happen, I'm not sure what the knock-on effect for Sprint is. Anyone who wants an iPhone has one. The Verizon thing is over. All those peopl…

I could also see it as retaliation for dropping all non-unlimited texting plans after iMessage was announced, or for changing iPads from unlimited data to 2 GB/month shortly after release.

I know a few people still on the 3GS, out of contract, and looking for an upgrade. If the iPhone 5 came out on another carrier (especially with an unlimited plan), they'd be happy to jump ship.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#95

Post by dvdhsu »

Lewisham wrote: post #73
jwallaceparker wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Customers are loyal to the iPhone, not the network it runs on. I left Sprint to get an iPhone. If I need to rejoin Sprint to get the next iPhone, that's no problem.

I wonder how true this is outside techies. I'm personally network-agnostic, as I only use my "phone" for data and calls from the wife. I use about 100 minutes a month, so it doesn't matter. My wife, however, makes at least 60 minutes of calls on more days than not, keeping in touch with friends and family (basically all the social lubrication I do with email and Google+). For her, the network effect is incredibly str…

> For her, the network effect is incredibly strong: all her friends and family are on Verizon, so she is very hesitant to switch as she gets the in-network minutes free.

Sprint has unlimited mobile to mobile for plans with data, so as long as the other person is on a mobile line (probable since they are on Verizon), the call is free.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#96

Post by pieter »

stock_toaster wrote: post #88
mikeash wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it's not $20B in the bank, it's a commitment to buy $20B worth of phones over four years. Assuming 50% margin on Apple's side, this deal is worth about $2.5B/year. Compared to Apple's revenue of $65B/year or profit of $18B/year, this is peanuts, and not worth any sort of beating, especially since many of the sales they would make from such a deal would not be new, but merely shifted.

So a guaranteed 2.5B/year for a few months of exclusivity? Seems like a pretty big win to me. > especially since many of the sales they would make from such a deal would not be new, but merely shifted Possibly, but they could pick up new customers as well (existing sprint customers that want to upgrade to a smartphone, etc).

You have to compare it to the alternative -- how many sales on Verizon / AT&T will they lose with this exclusivity? How many phones would they sell on Sprint if it was available there, just not exclusively?

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#97

Post by pieter »

Kaya wrote: post #90
mikeash wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's completely ridiculous. 30 million iPhones over 4 years is about half the rate at which AT&T is currently selling iPhones in the US. Why would Apple give exclusivity to a lagging carrier in exchange for a promise to purchase phones at only half the rate that one of their current partners is selling them? It seems likely to me that Sprint made this commitment in order to get access to the iPhone at all. But an exc…

I wouldn't say it's ridiculous, given that: - It may not possible to produce an LTE iPhone 5 for either Verizon or AT&T right how (or for any other country), as the LTE chipsets are not ready and LTE deployments are limited. However, it may be possible in six to nine months. - WiMAX chipsets may be more mature than LTE, and Sprint's LTE deployment may be widespread, making it possible to produce such a phone for Spri…

Yes, but WIMAX is pretty much dead, even Sprint's dropping it for LTE. I just don't see Apple producing a new phone with WiMAX and having to test a completely different radio technology when they pretty much know it won't last for more than a few years.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#98

Post by steve-howard »

rtrunck wrote: post #71
henrikschroder wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn't you buy an unlocked iPhone?

Maybe I'm missing something, but why bye an unlocked phone? You pay more up front and the same monthly fee for network access. Is it just the contract you don't want to enter?

I actually spent less money getting my Nexus S 4g online over getting it 'subsidized' through Sprint. Seemed kind of dumb to me.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#99

Post by Raphael »

Kaya wrote: post #90
mikeash wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's completely ridiculous. 30 million iPhones over 4 years is about half the rate at which AT&T is currently selling iPhones in the US. Why would Apple give exclusivity to a lagging carrier in exchange for a promise to purchase phones at only half the rate that one of their current partners is selling them? It seems likely to me that Sprint made this commitment in order to get access to the iPhone at all. But an exc…

I wouldn't say it's ridiculous, given that: - It may not possible to produce an LTE iPhone 5 for either Verizon or AT&T right how (or for any other country), as the LTE chipsets are not ready and LTE deployments are limited. However, it may be possible in six to nine months. - WiMAX chipsets may be more mature than LTE, and Sprint's LTE deployment may be widespread, making it possible to produce such a phone for Spri…

There are several LTE phones out already, and Verizon is rapidly expanding coverage zones. Although, I suppose battery drain is the unresolved issue.

Re: Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

#100

Post by ctdonath »

prewett wrote: post #91
ctdonath wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The RAZR is still pretty much the epitome of "just a phone" in contrast with modern smartphones. Nothing really surpasses it, save for Verizon crippling them. Optimize it for what it will be used for, instead of making it do what users don't want, and it would sell well unto 6 million today. There are plenty of us who have suitable portable computers (iPad in particular) who don't want an iPad Nano overlapping functi…

The RAZR I had just prior to getting an iPhone was a horrible experience. It looked nice, the hardware seemed to function ok, but the software was terrible. When navigating the menus, no matter where my thumb was, the next press needed to be on the opposite side of the keypad. I don't remember what my phone before it was (Nokia maybe?), but I remember my thumb was always were it needed to be. I hated that RAZR. Think…

Hence my comment "optimize it for what it will be used for". Verizon wrecked the RAZR by putting their stupid OS/UI on it.
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