Perhaps one of the most overlooked angles of the iPhone release is the apparent fear Apple’s shiny new phone/iPod/Internet device is instilling in carriers not named AT&T. For example, AppleInsider has posted some interesting “talking points” provided by Verizon and Sprint to their respective agents for dealing with potential new customers as well as current customers thinking about switching. Some of the more amusing comments from Verizon:
No over-the-air downloads. You have to connect to your PC to load music.
What they don’t say: “Our over-the-air downloads cost $1.99 and are under house arrest to your phone, unlike iTunes’ $0.99 tracks that you can enjoy pretty much anywhere.”
Stay near a plug. The iPhone battery can’t be removed by the user or swapped for a spare.
What they don’t say: “The iPhone has longer battery life than any smartphone we sell.”
(Verizon’s list of comparisons is especially entertaining because rather than being [particular phone] vs. iPhone, it’s “Verizon Wireless vs. AT&T’s iPhone.” Yes, that’s right — the iPhone versus a mythical überphone with the collective features of every phone offered by Verizon.)
And here are a couple from Sprint:
Using the iPhone on the GSM/EDGE network may be like having a really powerful computer on dial up.
What they don’t say: “Did we say the iPhone was a really powerful computer? We meant ‘a really expensive phone.’”
Are you sure 4G or 8G is enough storage for you? To give you a comparison, most iPods/MP3 players hold 40 to 60Gigs or more.
What they don’t say: “We don’t sell any phones with that much space, either.”
Check the links for more persuasive arguments. Don’t get me wrong; there are some good points to be made, and if I were a competing carrier, I’d want to retain my customers, too. But guys, let’s not go overboard.
