In news that should shock no one, Verizon Communications’ CEO Ivan Seidenberg said the nation’s largest cellular carrier is open to carrying the mega-successful iPhone.
“It’s their call,” Seidenberg said at a conference. “Eventually, it’s our view we’ll get to carrying Apple.”
Verizon’s CEO also said he has told Apple he wants to offer the handset, and he is hopeful that its iPhone will be able to use 4G data, as Verizon Wireless is planning to deploy a Long-Term Evolution network this year in more than 30 markets. Of course, we’ve already heard that LTE-capable smartphone won’t hit Verizon until next year so I wouldn’t start waiting in line for a Verizon iPhone yet.
The news comes as the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is preparing a CDMA version of the iPhone that will hit Verizon this fall. Unfortunately, other analysts suggest that this version of the iPhone is being crafted for Chinese carriers and it won’t be interoperable with Verizon’s network. While Apple is potentially leaving tens of millions of customers by not coming to Verizon, it has become such a major driver of new customers for AT&T that it can cut really good deals on the price per handset. Additionally, the component costs for a CDMA iPhone cost a bit more than GSM counterparts. Let’s all remember that Apple has always structured its business around high profit margins instead of market share.
Seidenberg also quieted talks that Verizon would merge with Vodafone because the deal would only include marginal benefits for both parties. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between the two companies, of which Verizon is the majority share holder.
“Absent new information, a merger doesn’t seem to have a lot of appeal,” Seidenberg said.
[Via Reuters]