AT&T Rips iPad Data & iPhone Exclusivity From Verizon’s Grasp

UPDATE: As of 1:08pm Central Time, Apple (AAPL), AT&T (T), and Verizon Wireless (VZW) stocks are down after this news has made its rounds to Wall Street. Expect this to be a trend tomorrow as well.

Hey guys, well, today I recieved a piece of relatively frustrating news. It’s with regards to AT&T Exclusivity here in the U.S. and the iPhone.

Well, according to sources familliar with the matter, the iPad was going to be on Verizon’s network, it was a “for sure thing” “basically a sure thing”, well, what happened?! It’s on AT&T (not exclusively).

It seems as though the iPad managed to slip from Verizon’s grasp due to a deal that was struck at the last moment. AT&T would give customers data plans at half the price without a contract, and in return, AT&T managed to negociate a 6 month extension on their exclusivity on the iPhone through “Late 2010”.

This is very frustrating news indeed. This would be the 4th extension AT&T has gotten since they struck their initial deal back in late 2004 (the iPhone was then introduced in 2007).

So, don’t expect a Verizon or T-Mobile iPhone at WWDC this time around. However, we may see one in the Fall (as my sources had told me in December 2009). Now, whether Apple will do a massive, nationwide unlock, is still unknown (they should) but 2010 and 2011 are proving/going to prove to be amazing years for Apple fans 🙂

Comments

  1. Rick says

    Dude that just really blows my AT&T contract ends pretty soon I was hoping I would start a contract with verizon with the iPhone but guess not sorry but I think I’m switching to droid I wouldn’t go bak to AT&T at all

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