Verizon iPhone: How Will It Affect Android?
The Verizon iPhone has been rumored year after year… but it seems tomorrow the rumors will transform into truth as several news sources are claiming attendance to a Verizon event in NYC tomorrow. That event is supposedly to announce the Verizon iPhone, which will be launched on February 3rd.
I’m excited.
I’m not excited because I’m some closet iFanboy or because I’m dying to get the Verizon iPhone… come on, give me a little bit of credit. I’m excited because healthy competition is a great thing. We might not be Apple lovers ourselves, but I can understand why some people WOULD love the iPhone, like our friends at iSource.com who are excitedly ramping up their Verizon iPhone Forum.
When (and if) the iPhone hits Verizon on February 3rd, I think we’ll see a few main things:
- Apple and Android will breakaway as the two leading mobile operating systems, both separating even further from the pack over the next year. BlackBerry, Windows Phone, WebOS and others are in big, big trouble.
- Apple and Google will begin a more rigorous arms race in terms of releasing new and innovative features. This is what I really love: both want to “win” and will push harder and harder to make the best product, and in the end, it’s the consumer that really wins.
- Prices for smartphones in general will drop due to increased competition – consumers win again.
Android has been running rampant on US carriers, totally taking over mindshare AND marketshare and CES 2011 is living proof. Worldwide the affects have been similar. Apple may have had leverage in a Verizon iPhone negotiation a few years ago, but now the momentum is all in the favor of Verizon thanks to what Droid Does.
The iPhone launching on Verizon WILL have huge implications on the mobile landscape. As Android enthusiasts and knowledgeable mobile fans I would LOVE to hear your opinion on a few things:
- How will the Verizon iPhone affect sales of Verizon Droid devices?
- Will many former Verizon Android owners defect to the iPhone when it launches just because it’s the iPhone?
- Will AT&T iPhone users lead a mass exodus to Verizon?