Prince McLeanDuring Monday's quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook also downplayed assumptions that Apple would inevitably embrace a multi-carrier business strategy in all countries where the iPhone is available. He said so far Apple has selected countries where the company believes a multi-carrier system would inevitably happen anyhow.
"I don't want to imply that would happen in every market or that we are headed that way in every market," Cook said.
Earlier in the call, analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray inquired about the bad press AT&T has received as of late. "Can you remind us the benefits of sticking with a single carrier in the U.S.?" he asked.
In response, Cook avoided any criticism of its U.S. partner.
"First of all, AT&T is a great partner," Cook said. "We've been working with them since well before we announced the first iPhone. It's important to note they have more mobile broadband usage than any carrier in the world."
"We think iPhone customers are having a great experience from the research we've done," Cook added.
"AT&T has acknowledged they're having a few issues in a few cities and they're making plans to address these. We've reviewed these plans and we're confident they'll make significant progress towards fixing them."
AT&T's exclusive mobile partnership with Apple is expected to end this year, with many observers expecting the company to begin working with Verizon Wireless and/or perhaps T-Mobile, either of which would require new iPhone hardware designed for those company's mobile networks.
AT&T itself has regularly announced mobile infrastructure progress and future plans to improve and expand its mobile network in the US in order to better support new and existing iPhone users. It also plans to eventually roll out its 3G MicroCell appliance which will allow customers to set up their own local 3G hotspots by using their existing Internet access, and has met competitive price cuts set by rivals.
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108 Comments
So the rumours aren't true?
So the rumours aren't true?
If you are referring to the rumor that Apple will add other US carriers for the iPhone, it is indeterminate from this quote. I don't think anyone expected Apple to stop selling iPhones through AT&T, and this quote seems to verify that.
Tim Cook didn't have a answer, but I'm sure millions of people sick and tired of AT&T's bullsh*t sure would like to have the choice of another major carrier.Oh Jesus! I hope this new iPad thingy and the other roll-outs this years isn't going to require more AT&T contracts.
*begin screaming*
Tim Cook didn't have a answer, but I'm sure millions of people sick and tired of AT&T's bullsh*t sure would like to have the choice of another major carrier.Oh Jesus! I hope this new iPad thingy and the other roll-outs this years isn't going to require more AT&T contracts.
*begin screaming*
millions? you are way off. do you know Verizon sucks in the area I live?
Why are t-mobile and verizon the only ones in the running?
Verizon would never work with an apple device because of the restriction they would want or the control they want with the device. For example, verizon won't let apple make billions of dollars on their itunes app store and not get a cut of it. At&t gets no money of app revenue, verizon would want some.
Has anyone ever talked about t-mobiles internet service??? Everyone has something to say about at&t, do you really think t-mobile is any better, if anything, worse.
Sprint has nationwide coverage, their EVDO internet is very large, and they are the first company with 4G internet that is rolling out nationwide in less than 5 months, and is already in a lot of places currents.
I think Sprint needs to get looked at also.