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Verizon reportedly sees iPhone as "essential to future success"

Verizon is "still excited" about launching Apple's iPhone early next year "to combat slowing Android momentum in the US," according to analyst Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros.

The confirmation of Verizon's interest in launching the iPhone, "despite it already carrying a full roster of competing operating systems including Android, BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows, and webOS," provides additional support for data reported earlier showing a sharp decline in Verizon's growth from Android following the launch of iPhone 4.

The Kaufman Bros. note emphasizes Verizon's concerns about Android and its market share losses to AT&T, stating, "our sources indicate that VZ views iPhone as essential to its future success."

The firm also noted that it appears that AT&T's exclusive on RIM's BlackBerry Torch is set to expire at the end of this year, allowing Verizon to sell it or a similar model on its network as well.



35 Comments

iphtashu fitz 33 comments · 16 Years

I can't wait to see the iPhone on Verizon just to see how popular it becomes over there and also how Apple handles having multiple versions of the device.

rot'napple 1839 comments · 17 Years

I'm still waiting for the Verizon tv Christmas ads of the Land of Misfit Toys?!

Kiss the Apple Ring oh Verizon, Kiss the Apple Ring... Jobs commands you!

shadash 470 comments · 14 Years

Our long national nightmare is almost over.

cronked 30 comments · 16 Years

This is going to get tricky for Apple. Let's say the Verizon iPhone comes out in January and it has all the specs of the current iPhone 4 (except having the different chip for Verizon's network) and then Apple releases the iPhone 5 for AT&T in June/July with the new updated specs. Are they going to release the iPhone 5 at that time for Verizon as well? If so, the early adopters at Verizon are going to feel flim flammed. It would have been nice for everyone if this could have been coordinated to happen all at once. Ideally, it would be good to have the new Verizon iphone come out as an iPhone 5 in June/July. But obviously no one wants to wait that long, including Apple and Verizon. A lot of phones can be sold in 6 months! This too shall pass but I bet we are going to hear grumblings about it from users. This is going to be similar to when the iPad came out and then a few months later we have the iPhone 4 with better specs. The iPad already seemed outdated in some ways.