We know that the Verizon iPhone will be a big hit, as the preorders sold millions and the device is on its way to users as we speak. The company has just unwrapped its latest and it brings back our favorite carrier mascot: the “Can you hear me now?” guy.
The Verizon iPhone ad starts with some images of the Apple smartphone with a voice over announcer talking about how “it’s beautiful.” After a few glamor shots and more superlatives, the phone rings and the mascot picks up the phone and says, “Yes, I can hear you now.”
The ad is a clear shot at rival AT&T, which has been notorious for its phone and data service with Apple’s smartphone for the last three years. The Verizon iPhone is essentially the exact same device as the one released on AT&T six months ago (rejiggered antenna aside) but Big Red is banking on the fact that many of its subscribers have been longing for this and that many AT&T users are finally ready to use a phone that works as a phone.
As we mentioned in our comparison char, the Verizon iPhone won’t have the same theoretical download speeds as the AT&T version, as CDMA is slower than AT&T’s 3G network. Of course, if you haven’t been able to get consistent voice or data coverage anyways, the higher theoretical limits don’t really matter at all.
If the smartphone on Big Red sells millions and the network doesn’t crumble and still provides excellent coverage, then Apple will finally be able to fully put the blame on AT&T for service woes. Apple’s first iPhone may not have been properly optimized for U.S. networks at first but you have to think that the service in major cities has to irk the company.
[Via Verizon]