About 6 months after AT&T and Apple debuted the iPhone back in 2007 people started clamoring for the Verizon version. Every year around this time rumors abound that this is year that Apple and Verizon will launch the iPhone together. I have several friends who have been “holding out” to get the Verizon iPhone, not wanting to use one on the AT&T network.
I think by now most people know my stance on that line of thinking: these people are idiots. They are not idiots because they want the phone on Verizon, but rather because for the last 3 years they have been using crap phones, waiting to use the phone they really want to use. Some have even been buying new phones to “tide them over” while they wait for a Verizon iPhone.
The most interesting thing to me about this whole Verizon iPhone business, is Verizon’s stance on the matter. I have never heard or read anything from Verizon (not counting the clueless store employees that always say it is coming soon) that confirms or denies that they are getting the iPhone. This is perhaps one of the smartest marketing moves by a company yet.
By not saying anything Verizon keeps peoples hopes up, and therefore keeps some of their customers with them instead of switching to AT&T. In fact I would guess that each time one of these Verizon iPhone rumors pops up, Verizon loves it. Not because they so much want it to be true, but because it means that people still like them over the rival AT&T.
Think about that for a second.
Verizon is getting massive free PR (good PR no less) every year for about 4-months leading up to the introduction of a new iPhone. They are getting customers to stay with them in hopes that a phone they want really comes to fruition, instead of very easily switching to AT&T. This is astounding.
I for one hope that they release one for Verizon so that my service quality goes up as everyone “flees” to Verizon.