14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless carrier AT&T is the only one that sells the Apple iPhone in the US, yet it seems that other carriers will also have the chance to offer the hot device to their customers. Rumors about the end of the exclusivity deal with AT&T have been cycling around previously, and now the carrier’s CEO, Randall Stephenson, confirms what many were expecting.
Although no details on when that might happen have been unveiled, Stephenson stated on Thursday that “There will be a day when you are not exclusive with the iPhone.” Other carriers in the country already announced plans to have the iPhone, including Verizon, which stated earlier this year that the handset would come to it next year.
Commenting on the deal between AT&T and Apple, Stephenson stated: “On balance, I think it works really, really well – maybe as well as any strategic partnership we have.” During the second quarter of the year, the operator sold more than 2.4 million iPhones, and it also announced that its profits were influenced by the cost of the new iPhone 3GS.
For what it's worth, there are great chances that the iPhone could see an even greater popularity on the market in case it becomes available through more carriers. According to a recent study conducted by PriceGrabber, one third of the surveyed people (34.32%) stated that they wouldn't buy an iPhone because it was offered via AT&T. The main cause seems to be the fact that its network is not as reliable as expected.
The survey was conducted on a number of 2,411 consumers, between June 12 and July 10. More than half of the interviewees stated that they liked their current handset and wouldn't go for an iPhone because of this, while around 30 percent of them still considered the device too expensive. Even so, it is already known that Apple is unable to meet demand for the newly launched iPhone 3GS, and it expects for the phone to see even more traction from users.