Cubit wrote:
> Silly me, but the idea of a $500 phone seems absurd.

Or $600.

But that wasn't the sticking point according to the article. Verizon
wouldn't have cared about the handset cost, but giving monthly revenue
to the handset maker is unprecedented. Having Apple handle distribution
and repairs would seem to be a good thing, not a bad thing.

In a few months, there will be other similar handsets released, and the
hoopla over the iPhone will give way to the reality that it costs $600
and that it lacks a lot of PDA functionality. The gadget freaks will buy
it, or those that were going to buy a video iPod and that have Cingular
already, but it's not going to cause a lot of Verizon customers to jump
ship. Look at how poor the Cingular network was rated in most U.S. metro
areas, and think about how many people will give up coverage for
watching movies on a small screen.