People are talking about Verizon’s anti-iPhone product coming to market: DROID. A market started by the BlackBerry and made whole by the iPhone. Verizon might have a big network, but frankly, the strategy is moving quickly to being one where you are perpetually connected to a WiFi connection instead of the various generations of cell technology. That spider web of WiFi connectivity was something I wanted to launch 10 years ago, but like so many other projects, I am a solo developer and it is tough to do alone.
Now, Verizon is bashing the hottest product on the scene. I used to be on Verizon, and let me tell you. It isn’t any different to me than the AT&T network, except that for me to go overseas, I had to rent a phone in Germany, and my wife would have had to rent a phone to go to Ireland; but I switched to AT&T because of a $450 phone bill plus rental charges while in Germany and I vowed to never do that again. So, I know that the iPhone will work… one phone, multiple networks, and if I want the bill to be on my terms, I buy a SIM with a deal. But I know my phone will work.
Also, I don’t know if Verizon realizes this, but pointing out the obvious issues with the iPhone will do nothing but encourage Apple to drop a new set of hardware configurations. Multitask capable processors will be the next iPhone and it will kill the Verizon buyers, they will probably want to smash their heads against the phone in frustration. Who cares about a keyboard, that can break, get dirty, accidentally mash a button, whatever the case may be. Keyboards are ugly and bulky and I don’t know anyone who types on them without looking which is how you use the iPhone keyboard.
Verizon will lose in this battle. They lack the strategic positioning to reach any advantage. Customer service is firmly rooted in taking your money and selling you equipment. I haven’t needed anything for my iPhone or my MacBook Pro since I purchased it other than software made directly for the Mac because software publishers won’t cross license [I'm looking at you Adobe for making me spend several hundred dollars to switch from CS3 Master Collection for PC, to CS4 because you said you don't support CS3 anymore and won't give me a cross-grade license... and YOU Microsoft for making me purchase Office for Mac because you won't give me a cross platform license and I can't do that because Excel for Mac sucks for business analysis, I guess I should become one with a real business analysis tool].
That was a tall soap box.