23 ms·

Sprint to 'Bet the Company' on iPhone

95 points by nicksergeant 15y ago

steve-howard 15y ago
I like my Sprint service. The reception is far from legendary, but it's there, and the data is unlimited. If I wanted an iPhone, I'd do what everyone else does and switch to AT&T (and now Verizon). I suspect that folks who really care that it's an iPhone and not an Android (or potentially WP7, if that ever gets off the ground) have already made their move.
- xsmasher 15y ago
  "Unimited data" might be an distinguishing feature they can press. I know I a lot of iPhone+ATT users, but none who tether. Too expensive.
  - dvdhsu 15y ago
    The unlimited data that Sprint gives you is not supposed to be for tethering. If you want the tethering app on Android to work, you need to pay Sprint a monthly fee of $30 a month. [1] I have a hunch that this will apply to the iPhone too. Of course, you would be able to jailbreak then tether, but I'm not sure how many ordinary users would be willing to do that. According to my first reference below, tethering will also be capped at five gigabytes with the launch of the iPhone. So, you'll have to pay $30 for tethering five gigabytes a month. The internet on the handset will still be unlimited. ---------------------------------- 1. http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Sprint-Caps-Official-Tethering-at-5GB-116245 http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Sprint-Caps-Official-Teth...
    - codenerdz 15y ago
      Supposed is the keyword. Once you root/jailbreak the phone, nothing is stopping you from using WifiTether/Tetherme for your tethering needs. If youre a power user and require over 5GB a months, then youre in trouble. But for most of us that need tethering for those select moments we're away from wifi, its a godsend.
- kenjackson 15y ago
  I like Sprint too, but I disagree. Sprint's pricing has historically been too good to leave to another carrier. Even you want an iPhone -- can you really justify the price hike for it? It's actually a much better deal, even in the short term, to get an iPad with 3G than move your cell phone service to ATT (especially if you have a family plan like I do). I think if the iPhone comes with the same price plans as today you'll see Sprint sell a boatload of iPhones.
- mgkimsal 15y ago
  Agreed, and I think we saw as much with the iPhone arrival to Verizon. Yeah, it was a bump for Verizon, but not a tidal wave. Most people who wanted it had moved. That said, I think there were some holdouts who were unsure about getting an iPhone4 so close to the supposed summer release of an iPhone5, so that probably depressed the Verizon numbers a bit too. Bringing iPhone to Sprint so soon after a new announcement should take some of that uncertainty away.
  - kyleslattery 15y ago
    Also, a lot of people on Verizon who wanted a smartphone probably had already bought an Android phone when the Verizon iPhone came out (I know I did). The original Droid is just about two years old, which means that a lot of Droid owners are going to be looking for a new phone in the coming months. I'd bet a lot of them will be getting iPhones. I know a lot of friends that have Droids, and none of them have any intention of getting anything other than the iPhone when their contract is up.
    - Raphael 15y ago
      They don't like Android? Or do they prefer Apple hardware to Motorola?
      - kyleslattery 15y ago
        Probably a combination of both, but I doubt it really matters either way—at the end of the day, they had a poor experience with an Android phone, and they don't want to have that happen again.
- saturdaysaint 15y ago
  I suspect that folks who really care that it's an iPhone and not an Android (or potentially WP7, if that ever gets off the ground) have already made their move. Remember, though, that the smartphone market is far from saturated. You could argue that it's barely been tapped - dumbphones still compose the vast majority of the U.S. phone share. Upgrading from a 3 year old dumbphone is a prime opportunity for a consumer to rethink their phone carrier. I imagine Sprint lost a lot of first time smartphone buyers to the iPhone thanks to Apple's "easy-to-use" reputation and the massive hype of every iPhone debut.
- henrikschroder 15y ago
  Why wouldn't you buy an unlocked iPhone?
  - WiseWeasel 15y ago
    Sprint runs a CDMA network. I don't believe Apple sells unlocked CDMA iPhones, only GSM. Maybe that will change when the next model supposedly combines GSM and CDMA antennas in a single model.
  - rtrunck 15y ago
    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?
    - calloc 15y ago
      T-Mobile has discounts for bring your own type plans... I for example am on one of those plans with my iPhone 3G (jailbroken.)
    - steve-howard 15y ago
      I actually spent less money getting my Nexus S 4g online over getting it 'subsidized' through Sprint. Seemed kind of dumb to me.
    - henrikschroder 15y ago
      The price of the phone is the same whether you pay upfront or through an increased monthly fee, but with the unlocked phone I can pop in a local sim-card if I travel, and I can change my provider whenever I want. The only benefit for the locked ones are that you get to buy it on what is essentially cheap credit, but it's not like you save any significant amount of money on that.
Urgo 15y ago
I know I'm surely in the minority here but back in August I was so fed up with AT&T that I spent most of the month planning a move to Sprint. I was in and out of stores, researching phones online, talking to friends and more. Even with their poor coverage (my parents live in western mass and basically that entire side of the state is a black hole for sprint) I was so close to making the switch, at least for a one month trial. The main reason I wanted to switch to Sprint was they seemed to be really for the consumer and pushed that they offered Unlimited Data. Most months I stay under 5gb (though its close) on my android phone but occasionally I travel and do use quite a bit more. Before I did sign up though the rumors started coming out about the iphone coming to sprint which I immediately predicted would kill their unlimited data deal, which though its not on the phones themselves yet has been enforced on hotspot users. I know people love their iphones but I just really hate how it is ruining networks for everyone. Every network they move to kills their unlimited data plan with their arrival. :(
- joebadmo 15y ago
  Usually they'll grandfather in unlimited plans that are in place before they kill them, though. I still have an "unlimited" data plan from Verizon, which, as I understand, will unfortunately not transfer over to an [EDIT: unlimited] LTE plan. So, you should look into it, and if you're still planning to switch, you should probably try to do it before the iPhone comes out.
  - jallmann 15y ago
    I have an unlimited data plan on Verizon, and was told last week it could transfer to LTE. (Didn't make the switch though; I opted for the Droid 3 and its physical keyboard.)
    - modeless 15y ago
      What salesmen tell you and what actually happens are completely different things.
      - 15y ago
jcampbell1 15y ago
It sounds like Sprint is going to start a price war with Verizon and AT&T. Music to my ears.
- baddox 15y ago
  I'll be impressed if any of them allow people already under contract to get a better price.
jinushaun 15y ago
If Sprint keeps unlimited data for at least the 2 years that I'll be on contract, I'll sign up for Sprint the day the iPhone 5 is available. Sprint needs to compete on price and unlimited data to compete with Big Red and Big Blue and stay alive.
biot 15y ago
> "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 hand combines excellent engineering of its hardware with tremendous strength in the software; not to mention the brand cachet. That's a significant competitive advantage and is harder to displace.
- shareme 15y ago
  you forgot some Apple history...RAZR was the first phone with iTunes..that software features was what sold the handsets
  - joe_bleau 15y ago
    Are you sure about that? I thought the moto ROKR was the one that would connect to iTunes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_ROKR http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_ROKR)
    - wmeredith 15y ago
      You are correct and the product was a complete dog.
      - ceejayoz 15y ago
        The Jobs presentation showing it off is quite entertaining. You can tell he hates the thing.
- joe_the_user 15y ago
  Actually, I remember numerous friends describing the original iPhone as having terrible reception. An old boss switched to skype for phone calls so he could keep using his iPhone for its apps (or something). It seems more like the iPhone combines generally good-but-not-fabulous engineering with the continued irrational loyalty of "Apple Fanboys". Edit: But this too may indeed be a competitive advantage that's hard to match...
Skroob 15y ago
I'm not sure I understand. Is Sprint planning on undercutting the "regular" subsidized cost of the iPhone? Because otherwise, unless they're going to do something that really stands out, it seems like a case of "the only way to beat them is to be exactly like them".
- dangrossman 15y ago
  At the moment, they're the only major carrier to offer non-capped unlimited data, and their "simply everything" plans (unlimited talk/text/web) are as cheap or cheaper than the Verizon/AT&T equivalents.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
ajays 15y ago
It would be great if someone could come up with a summary of the offerings by the big 3 carriers; and the quality of service on the network. I'd love to switch to Sprint, but I'm not sure how their cellular network stacks up to ATT/Verizon when in remote areas. I'm on ATT currently, and was surprised to get reception at the top of HalfDome (though I have trouble getting it in my neighborhood in SF :-/ ).
kenjackson 15y ago
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-20-billion-in-iphones-from-apple-launching-the-iphone-5-exclusively/ http://www.bgr.com/2011/10/03/sprint-guarantees-to-buy-over-...
- dangrossman 15y ago
  Their stock (which I unfortunately hold a bit of) dropped over 10% today. If that's the case, I hope they announce it rather than let the speculation continue.
  - 3am 15y ago
    Meh, they're in great company today.
- Lewisham 15y ago
  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 people are locked into contracts. I don't think we'll see lines out the door on release morning for iPhone 5 and Sprint.
  - veyron 15y ago
    The AT&T 3gs crowd joined in June 2009, and many of them (myself included) are just out of contract and waiting to upgrade to the new phone. I think there's plenty of demand, especially if its not an ATT or verizon
    - josiahq 15y ago
      I'm up for renewal and its perfect timing with my move to Bay in a month (and the crappy 3G coverage AT&T has there).
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
bound008 15y ago
If sprint throws in tethering for those two years they will certainly poach a lot of customers. But with their overall network quality, it's likely that they suffer an AT&T style meltdown. Their 3G speeds are already the slowest of all national carriers, and an LTE rollout looks far off.
usaar333 15y ago
As a Sprint customer, I worry that it's barely acceptable call and data quality will suffer with a massive injection of iPhones.
skizm 15y ago
I really hope this happens. I want Sprint to succeed so when my verizon plan runs out I can still get unlimited data somewhere for a reasonable price.
acslater00 15y ago
Flashback to 24 months ago, when Sprint "bet the company" on the Palm Pre. Something tells me this is going to go just as well.
- insanecanadian 15y ago
  To be fair, they are "betting the company" on something that the lack of probably lost them a large number of potential customers.
chaselee 15y ago
In other news, I'll continue to revel in unlimited data and Android updates on the Nexus S.
andrewljohnson 15y ago
If Sprint gets an exclusive on iPhone 5, there is going to be severe backlash. I know many people waiting to upgrade their phone until iPhone 5 comes out, and they aren't going to switch to Sprint to do it. This would be a betrayal of all of their customers holding iPhone 3G/3GS/4 waiting to upgrade on Verizon or AT&T, and it will be a big chink in the armor for Android to exploit. It would annoy me as a developer too. For these reasons, I sort of find it hard to believe that an exclusive is possible, but I guess $20B is a lot of money.
- jsz0 15y ago
  Disagree. There's no 3G/3GS on Verizon and exactly zero iPhone 4 Verizon customers are eligible for a subsidized upgrade yet. So it only affects the tiny number of customers who are going to pay $600 for an out-of-contract upgrade. The vast majority of Verizon iPhone owners would have to wait for their subsidized upgrade date which for most is March/April 2012 at the earliest. For AT&T customers things are a bit more tricky. Any iPhone 4 owners are in the same boat as Verizon customers. Most won't have a subsidized upgrade available until late December. (if you have a more expensive plan with AT&T your upgrade date is earlier) This also goes for people who bought the 3GS in the last 14 months. The people who opted for the 3G in the last ~20 months decided to buy a low end model. For them the iPhone 4 or 4S would be the natural upgrade path and a massive upgrade. No doubt there are some risks but I doubt Sprint would have a very long exclusivity period so even if Apple takes a beating for a month or two it will be of little consequence compared to $20B in the bank.
  - mikeash 15y ago
    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.
    - stock_toaster 15y ago
suhlash 15y ago
i am a sprint customer and i hate this move. the android market may be chaotic but there is more freedom for the user. this is a dangerous move for sprint. android will only gain in market shares baring any great upset in the current trends.
- Anti-Ratfish 15y ago
  This is besides the point. Android seems to sell 3-4 phones to each iPhone sale (citation needed) so sprint is cutting itself off from 20ish percent of the market. That's what matters. Quenching the bleeding might be another perspective.
dr_ 15y ago
Although exclusivity is hard to believe, the only thing that makes this plausible is that it makes sense for Apple to want multiple carriers for their products, each with lesser influence, than one or two major carriers with major influence.
hwf829 15y ago
OMGWTFBBQ
blinkingled 15y ago
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.

95 points by nicksergeant 15y ago

I like my Sprint service. The reception is far from legendary, but it's there, and the data is unlimited. If I wanted an iPhone, I'd do what everyone else does and switch to AT&T (and now Verizon). I suspect that folks who really care that it's an iPhone and not an Android (or potentially WP7, if that ever gets off the ground) have already made their move.

xsmasher 15y ago
"Unimited data" might be an distinguishing feature they can press. I know I a lot of iPhone+ATT users, but none who tether. Too expensive.
- dvdhsu 15y ago
  The unlimited data that Sprint gives you is not supposed to be for tethering. If you want the tethering app on Android to work, you need to pay Sprint a monthly fee of $30 a month. [1] I have a hunch that this will apply to the iPhone too. Of course, you would be able to jailbreak then tether, but I'm not sure how many ordinary users would be willing to do that. According to my first reference below, tethering will also be capped at five gigabytes with the launch of the iPhone. So, you'll have to pay $30 for tethering five gigabytes a month. The internet on the handset will still be unlimited. ---------------------------------- 1. http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Sprint-Caps-Official-Tethering-at-5GB-116245 http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Sprint-Caps-Official-Teth...
  - codenerdz 15y ago
    Supposed is the keyword. Once you root/jailbreak the phone, nothing is stopping you from using WifiTether/Tetherme for your tethering needs. If youre a power user and require over 5GB a months, then youre in trouble. But for most of us that need tethering for those select moments we're away from wifi, its a godsend.
kenjackson 15y ago
I like Sprint too, but I disagree. Sprint's pricing has historically been too good to leave to another carrier. Even you want an iPhone -- can you really justify the price hike for it? It's actually a much better deal, even in the short term, to get an iPad with 3G than move your cell phone service to ATT (especially if you have a family plan like I do). I think if the iPhone comes with the same price plans as today you'll see Sprint sell a boatload of iPhones.
mgkimsal 15y ago
Agreed, and I think we saw as much with the iPhone arrival to Verizon. Yeah, it was a bump for Verizon, but not a tidal wave. Most people who wanted it had moved. That said, I think there were some holdouts who were unsure about getting an iPhone4 so close to the supposed summer release of an iPhone5, so that probably depressed the Verizon numbers a bit too. Bringing iPhone to Sprint so soon after a new announcement should take some of that uncertainty away.
- kyleslattery 15y ago
  Also, a lot of people on Verizon who wanted a smartphone probably had already bought an Android phone when the Verizon iPhone came out (I know I did). The original Droid is just about two years old, which means that a lot of Droid owners are going to be looking for a new phone in the coming months. I'd bet a lot of them will be getting iPhones. I know a lot of friends that have Droids, and none of them have any intention of getting anything other than the iPhone when their contract is up.
  - Raphael 15y ago
    They don't like Android? Or do they prefer Apple hardware to Motorola?
    - kyleslattery 15y ago
      Probably a combination of both, but I doubt it really matters either way—at the end of the day, they had a poor experience with an Android phone, and they don't want to have that happen again.
saturdaysaint 15y ago
I suspect that folks who really care that it's an iPhone and not an Android (or potentially WP7, if that ever gets off the ground) have already made their move. Remember, though, that the smartphone market is far from saturated. You could argue that it's barely been tapped - dumbphones still compose the vast majority of the U.S. phone share. Upgrading from a 3 year old dumbphone is a prime opportunity for a consumer to rethink their phone carrier. I imagine Sprint lost a lot of first time smartphone buyers to the iPhone thanks to Apple's "easy-to-use" reputation and the massive hype of every iPhone debut.
henrikschroder 15y ago
Why wouldn't you buy an unlocked iPhone?
- WiseWeasel 15y ago
  Sprint runs a CDMA network. I don't believe Apple sells unlocked CDMA iPhones, only GSM. Maybe that will change when the next model supposedly combines GSM and CDMA antennas in a single model.
- rtrunck 15y ago
  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?
  - calloc 15y ago
    T-Mobile has discounts for bring your own type plans... I for example am on one of those plans with my iPhone 3G (jailbroken.)
  - steve-howard 15y ago
    I actually spent less money getting my Nexus S 4g online over getting it 'subsidized' through Sprint. Seemed kind of dumb to me.
  - henrikschroder 15y ago
    The price of the phone is the same whether you pay upfront or through an increased monthly fee, but with the unlocked phone I can pop in a local sim-card if I travel, and I can change my provider whenever I want. The only benefit for the locked ones are that you get to buy it on what is essentially cheap credit, but it's not like you save any significant amount of money on that.

Urgo 15y ago

I know I'm surely in the minority here but back in August I was so fed up with AT&T that I spent most of the month planning a move to Sprint. I was in and out of stores, researching phones online, talking to friends and more. Even with their poor coverage (my parents live in western mass and basically that entire side of the state is a black hole for sprint) I was so close to making the switch, at least for a one month trial. The main reason I wanted to switch to Sprint was they seemed to be really for the consumer and pushed that they offered Unlimited Data. Most months I stay under 5gb (though its close) on my android phone but occasionally I travel and do use quite a bit more. Before I did sign up though the rumors started coming out about the iphone coming to sprint which I immediately predicted would kill their unlimited data deal, which though its not on the phones themselves yet has been enforced on hotspot users. I know people love their iphones but I just really hate how it is ruining networks for everyone. Every network they move to kills their unlimited data plan with their arrival. :(

joebadmo 15y ago
Usually they'll grandfather in unlimited plans that are in place before they kill them, though. I still have an "unlimited" data plan from Verizon, which, as I understand, will unfortunately not transfer over to an [EDIT: unlimited] LTE plan. So, you should look into it, and if you're still planning to switch, you should probably try to do it before the iPhone comes out.
- jallmann 15y ago
  I have an unlimited data plan on Verizon, and was told last week it could transfer to LTE. (Didn't make the switch though; I opted for the Droid 3 and its physical keyboard.)
  - modeless 15y ago
    What salesmen tell you and what actually happens are completely different things.
    - 15y ago

jcampbell1 15y ago

It sounds like Sprint is going to start a price war with Verizon and AT&T. Music to my ears.

baddox 15y ago
I'll be impressed if any of them allow people already under contract to get a better price.

jinushaun 15y ago

If Sprint keeps unlimited data for at least the 2 years that I'll be on contract, I'll sign up for Sprint the day the iPhone 5 is available. Sprint needs to compete on price and unlimited data to compete with Big Red and Big Blue and stay alive.

biot 15y ago

> "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 hand combines excellent engineering of its hardware with tremendous strength in the software; not to mention the brand cachet. That's a significant competitive advantage and is harder to displace.

shareme 15y ago
you forgot some Apple history...RAZR was the first phone with iTunes..that software features was what sold the handsets
- joe_bleau 15y ago
  Are you sure about that? I thought the moto ROKR was the one that would connect to iTunes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_ROKR http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_ROKR)
  - wmeredith 15y ago
    You are correct and the product was a complete dog.
    - ceejayoz 15y ago
      The Jobs presentation showing it off is quite entertaining. You can tell he hates the thing.
joe_the_user 15y ago
Actually, I remember numerous friends describing the original iPhone as having terrible reception. An old boss switched to skype for phone calls so he could keep using his iPhone for its apps (or something). It seems more like the iPhone combines generally good-but-not-fabulous engineering with the continued irrational loyalty of "Apple Fanboys". Edit: But this too may indeed be a competitive advantage that's hard to match...

Skroob 15y ago

I'm not sure I understand. Is Sprint planning on undercutting the "regular" subsidized cost of the iPhone? Because otherwise, unless they're going to do something that really stands out, it seems like a case of "the only way to beat them is to be exactly like them".

dangrossman 15y ago
At the moment, they're the only major carrier to offer non-capped unlimited data, and their "simply everything" plans (unlimited talk/text/web) are as cheap or cheaper than the Verizon/AT&T equivalents.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

ajays 15y ago

It would be great if someone could come up with a summary of the offerings by the big 3 carriers; and the quality of service on the network. I'd love to switch to Sprint, but I'm not sure how their cellular network stacks up to ATT/Verizon when in remote areas. I'm on ATT currently, and was surprised to get reception at the top of HalfDome (though I have trouble getting it in my neighborhood in SF :-/ ).

kenjackson 15y ago

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-20-billion-in-iphones-from-apple-launching-the-iphone-5-exclusively/ http://www.bgr.com/2011/10/03/sprint-guarantees-to-buy-over-...

dangrossman 15y ago
Their stock (which I unfortunately hold a bit of) dropped over 10% today. If that's the case, I hope they announce it rather than let the speculation continue.
- 3am 15y ago
  Meh, they're in great company today.
Lewisham 15y ago
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 people are locked into contracts. I don't think we'll see lines out the door on release morning for iPhone 5 and Sprint.
- veyron 15y ago
  The AT&T 3gs crowd joined in June 2009, and many of them (myself included) are just out of contract and waiting to upgrade to the new phone. I think there's plenty of demand, especially if its not an ATT or verizon
  - josiahq 15y ago
    I'm up for renewal and its perfect timing with my move to Bay in a month (and the crappy 3G coverage AT&T has there).

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

bound008 15y ago

If sprint throws in tethering for those two years they will certainly poach a lot of customers. But with their overall network quality, it's likely that they suffer an AT&T style meltdown. Their 3G speeds are already the slowest of all national carriers, and an LTE rollout looks far off.

usaar333 15y ago

As a Sprint customer, I worry that it's barely acceptable call and data quality will suffer with a massive injection of iPhones.

skizm 15y ago

I really hope this happens. I want Sprint to succeed so when my verizon plan runs out I can still get unlimited data somewhere for a reasonable price.

acslater00 15y ago

Flashback to 24 months ago, when Sprint "bet the company" on the Palm Pre. Something tells me this is going to go just as well.

insanecanadian 15y ago
To be fair, they are "betting the company" on something that the lack of probably lost them a large number of potential customers.

chaselee 15y ago

In other news, I'll continue to revel in unlimited data and Android updates on the Nexus S.

andrewljohnson 15y ago

If Sprint gets an exclusive on iPhone 5, there is going to be severe backlash. I know many people waiting to upgrade their phone until iPhone 5 comes out, and they aren't going to switch to Sprint to do it. This would be a betrayal of all of their customers holding iPhone 3G/3GS/4 waiting to upgrade on Verizon or AT&T, and it will be a big chink in the armor for Android to exploit. It would annoy me as a developer too. For these reasons, I sort of find it hard to believe that an exclusive is possible, but I guess $20B is a lot of money.

jsz0 15y ago
Disagree. There's no 3G/3GS on Verizon and exactly zero iPhone 4 Verizon customers are eligible for a subsidized upgrade yet. So it only affects the tiny number of customers who are going to pay $600 for an out-of-contract upgrade. The vast majority of Verizon iPhone owners would have to wait for their subsidized upgrade date which for most is March/April 2012 at the earliest. For AT&T customers things are a bit more tricky. Any iPhone 4 owners are in the same boat as Verizon customers. Most won't have a subsidized upgrade available until late December. (if you have a more expensive plan with AT&T your upgrade date is earlier) This also goes for people who bought the 3GS in the last 14 months. The people who opted for the 3G in the last ~20 months decided to buy a low end model. For them the iPhone 4 or 4S would be the natural upgrade path and a massive upgrade. No doubt there are some risks but I doubt Sprint would have a very long exclusivity period so even if Apple takes a beating for a month or two it will be of little consequence compared to $20B in the bank.
- mikeash 15y ago
  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.
  - stock_toaster 15y ago

suhlash 15y ago

i am a sprint customer and i hate this move. the android market may be chaotic but there is more freedom for the user. this is a dangerous move for sprint. android will only gain in market shares baring any great upset in the current trends.

Anti-Ratfish 15y ago
This is besides the point. Android seems to sell 3-4 phones to each iPhone sale (citation needed) so sprint is cutting itself off from 20ish percent of the market. That's what matters. Quenching the bleeding might be another perspective.

dr_ 15y ago

Although exclusivity is hard to believe, the only thing that makes this plausible is that it makes sense for Apple to want multiple carriers for their products, each with lesser influence, than one or two major carriers with major influence.

hwf829 15y ago

OMGWTFBBQ

blinkingled 15y ago

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.