Making the Switch from GSM
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The Enterprise
One of the key factors keeping RIM in the lead
in the business world is the BlackBerry's
availability on multiple carriers. It makes it a convenient alternative to
the iPhone for companies that can't get out of the long-term contracts they've
signed with Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon Wireless. If the iPhone is made
available to Verizon Wireless customers, it now gives those companies an
option. Do they stick with the BlackBerry or do they opt instead for the
iPhone? It might be a difficult decision. But so far, it's a decision that
they've been unable to make.
For Apple, it puts it into an even more enviable position in the market. Not only will it have the product so many people want, but it will have the product that so many people can have. Verizon Wireless and AT&T both have millions of customers. Right now, Apple's phone is only available to just a small portion of the U.S. market. By opening it up to Verizon Wireless customers, Apple can practically double its customer base, possibly allowing it to sell millions more iPhones. It could also translate to more sales in iTunes. It would almost guarantee more App Store downloads. It would be a financial boon for Apple.
The single issue facing Apple is that, right now, the iPhone is a GSM phone. It works with a SIM card. Since Verizon Wireless uses CDMA technology, the company would need to re-engineer the iPhone to work with Verizon's infrastructure. It's not such a big problem. If RIM can do it with its own products, why can't Apple?
And perhaps that's the biggest corporate game-changer of them all. RIM, a major player in the smartphone space and, arguably, Apple's biggest competitor, would no longer have a significant advantage over Apple. It still has its BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but for many of the customers looking to buy an iPhone, that's a small loss.
Users
Current AT&T customers who are using the
company's network solely for the purpose of having an iPhone would finally have
the out they've wanted. Those customers can switch to Verizon Wireless and
still use the phone they like. Customers who have wanted an iPhone but wouldn't
consider switching to AT&T would win too. It gives the end user a choice
they haven't had before. And it ensures that as long as they want an iPhone,
they can find the carrier that provides the best experience.
So, as we anxiously await what Apple might announce with Verizon Wireless, it seems that the good move, for everyone, is that it brings the iPhone to the carrier's subscribers. It could radically change the dynamics of the mobile market. And that could be good for everyone.
For Apple, it puts it into an even more enviable position in the market. Not only will it have the product so many people want, but it will have the product that so many people can have. Verizon Wireless and AT&T both have millions of customers. Right now, Apple's phone is only available to just a small portion of the U.S. market. By opening it up to Verizon Wireless customers, Apple can practically double its customer base, possibly allowing it to sell millions more iPhones. It could also translate to more sales in iTunes. It would almost guarantee more App Store downloads. It would be a financial boon for Apple.
The single issue facing Apple is that, right now, the iPhone is a GSM phone. It works with a SIM card. Since Verizon Wireless uses CDMA technology, the company would need to re-engineer the iPhone to work with Verizon's infrastructure. It's not such a big problem. If RIM can do it with its own products, why can't Apple?
And perhaps that's the biggest corporate game-changer of them all. RIM, a major player in the smartphone space and, arguably, Apple's biggest competitor, would no longer have a significant advantage over Apple. It still has its BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but for many of the customers looking to buy an iPhone, that's a small loss.
Users
So, as we anxiously await what Apple might announce with Verizon Wireless, it seems that the good move, for everyone, is that it brings the iPhone to the carrier's subscribers. It could radically change the dynamics of the mobile market. And that could be good for everyone.
