iPhone sellers braced for hit on unsold handsets

It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
current models will be unsaleable. Also there is a small possibility
that the iPhone will appear on other networks like Verizon, Sprint,
Altel etc. after June 2009 in the USA. Apple will drop its
requirement for part of the carrier’s revenues making up for them
from other sources that are developing from this wildly popular
innovative cell phone, iPod and internet device.

"Industry sources told Times Online that the device will have a
"radically different" appearance to the current device, which has a
4.5 inch screen and slick, aluminium backing. Among the possibilities
are flip version, which would enable the screen to be larger, and a
sliding model with a regular qwerty keyboard - as opposed to a
touchscreen one."

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle3770932.ece

4phun <vic.healey@gmail.com> amazed us all with the following in
news:4e22c940-7a7c-4df3-93d6-c5e4382a3408@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

> It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
> current models will be unsaleable. Also there is a small possibility
> that the iPhone will appear on other networks like Verizon, Sprint,
> Altel etc. after June 2009 in the USA.

And what of the 5-year exclusive agreement with AT&T?

On Apr 18, 6:41 pm, The Bob <nos...@bob.com> wrote:
> 4phun <vic.hea...@gmail.com> amazed us all with the following innews:4e22c940-7a7c-4df3-93d6-c5e4382a3408@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:
>
> > It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
> > current models will be unsaleable. Also there is a small possibility
> > that the iPhone will appear on other networks like Verizon, Sprint,
> > Altel etc. after June 2009 in the USA.
>
> And what of the 5-year exclusive agreement with AT&T?

Read the link it may only be a two year agreement.

Agreements between companies like ATT and Apple are virtually
meaningless. Each company will continuously monitor the benefits of
honoring the agreement vs the expense of breaching it and move forward
accordingly. Many years ago I had an agreement, in writing, with ATT
that promised my fledgling long distance resale company certain rates
and concessions (under what was then called "Tariff 12") if my company
produced orders for a certain amount of new revenue for ATT within a 1
year period. We not only met but exceeded the goal and ATT
unhesitatingly agreed that we had more than kept our part of the
bargain. When we asked for the Tariff 12 arrangement we had been
promised, ATT also unhesitatingly said "No, we've changed our minds and
don't want to give it to you."
Sitting in one of their conference rooms in Bridgewater, NJ on a cold
winter day and having been told this, I replied, "but that's a breach of
our agreement and you've agreed we held up our end of the bargain, now
you have to hold up yours," to which the ATT guy softly said, "See that
11 storey building across the courtyard? That's legal. You don't like
it, talk to them." And that was the end of the meeting and we were
escorted to the door. A contract is only evidence of an agreement.
Unless forced to by a court, in a very expensive proceeding, it does
nothing to ensure that either party will perform.


The Bob wrote:
> 4phun <vic.healey@gmail.com> amazed us all with the following in
> news:4e22c940-7a7c-4df3-93d6-c5e4382a3408@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:
>
>> It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
>> current models will be unsaleable. Also there is a small possibility
>> that the iPhone will appear on other networks like Verizon, Sprint,
>> Altel etc. after June 2009 in the USA.
>
> And what of the 5-year exclusive agreement with AT&T?

4phun <vic.healey@gmail.com> amazed us all with the following in
news:61a3054f-d949-4816-96ea-053a16e9618b@t54g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:

> On Apr 18, 6:41 pm, The Bob <nos...@bob.com> wrote:
>> 4phun <vic.hea...@gmail.com> amazed us all with the following
>> innews:4e22c940-7a7c-4df3-93d6-c5e4382a3408@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.c
>> om:
>>
>> > It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
>> > current models will be unsaleable. Also there is a small
>> > possibility that the iPhone will appear on other networks like
>> > Verizon, Sprint, Altel etc. after June 2009 in the USA.
>>
>> And what of the 5-year exclusive agreement with AT&T?
>
> Read the link it may only be a two year agreement.

I read the link. I also read the announcement to investors when the
initial agreement was reached. The announcement to the investors wins.

In article <Xns9A84DFC9BD4Cbob@216.196.97.136>, The Bob
<nospam@bob.com> wrote:

> I read the link. I also read the announcement to investors when the
> initial agreement was reached. The announcement to the investors wins.

The terms of the agreement are not public. None but top levels at AT&T
and Apple know if it is exclusive for five years or two years. And any
agreement could have cancellation clauses. Or an opt out after two
years. For example I have a one year agreement with a real estate agent
for sale of some property. After four months though I can write the
agent and give four days notice it is cancelled. You don't know, I
don't know, 4phun doesn't know and the Times does not know the details
or length of the agreement between Apple or AT&T.

--
Charles

On Apr 19, 7:11*pm, Scott in SoCal <scottenazt...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:42:20 -0700 (PDT), 4phun <vic.hea...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >It appears that the new June iPhone will be so improved that the
> >current models will be unsaleable.
>
> Maybe they could unlock them and sell them without the asinine 2-year
> contract? Then maybe people would buy them.

Evidently "assinine" 2 year contracts are now becoming obsolete!
Robbers... er Rogers in Canada now has 3 year contracts. Orange in
Israel requires a 36 month (3 year) contract on all upgrades.

In message
<a5fe0dd1-b61c-4eb5-89f0-19908e20b319@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com> Joe
Seattle <joeofseattle@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Evidently "assinine" 2 year contracts are now becoming obsolete!
>Robbers... er Rogers in Canada now has 3 year contracts. Orange in
>Israel requires a 36 month (3 year) contract on all upgrades.

Ahh, but Rogers doesn't *require* a three year contract. Most plans can
be set up on a month to month basis, and nearly all plans are available
starting at one year, with the customer choosing one, two or three
years.

The only incentive to choose a longer contract is to get a discount on
the phone.

Until recently the maximum termination penalty was $200, so the length
of the contract was meaningless as long as you got at least $200 off the
handset. Unfortunately, the current generation of contract is now
$20/month, with a minimum of $200, which makes length of the contract
all too important.

In Rogers' defense, however, they are now quite willing to sell
discounted handsets in exchange for early renewal. I currently have a
five line family plan and became eligible for a 3-year-discount on a new
handset renewing only one line in the plan after less then 6 months.