Sprint says it's ready for the iPhone but will not confirm it

[gambit57]

As I said, their growth so far has come from making standard designs and selling them to new customers. It's getting to the point where most of their sales will now be replacement phones to customers that already have an iPhone. In offering specialized designs as in CDMA/Wimax or GSM/SCDMA they are hoping to capture new customers. If in one year they sell let's say 5M iphone 5's on Sprint at let's say $500/phone. That's $2.5B for the year which is nothing to sneeze at. Do you think that adding a WiMax chip at $5/chip and having development costs of less than $50M is going to phase Apple? Why should they cede the market to the likes of HTC and Samsung? Maybe the 6 month delay between the release of the CDMA phone on Verizon and Sprint was due to the added development and testing time.

Just by opening it up beyond AT&T is a whole new world in terms of new customers. Besides, in the past, they never seemed too bothered at limiting potential customers in order and just selling to repeats. They get plenty of new customers too so it's not like it's all repeats. Until the world all owns an iPhone, they have plenty of potential new customers and repeat business is nothing to sneeze at either.

Plus, it's not so simple to just add a $5 chip. The iPhone (and most new Apple products) are pretty packed to the gills as is. It's gotta fit. They had to go to a bumper with the death grip issue cuz it's not so simple as to reengineer the phone with a new antenna. You could do it over at Samsung/LG/Motorola/etc cuz their phones aren't so sleek and minimalistic. That's just not Apple's way. With WiMax and stuff, you've got extra antenna issues, battery life issues, reception issues, etc. It's just not that simple. Making a CDMA version is relatively simple, and it still took Apple years to decide if it was worth it. You know they could have broken the AT&T exclusive contract if they thought the millions of customers at Verizon were worth it. They didn't. They try to make a perfect (in their eyes) product and don't have time to make all these extra versions and release it half baked like... well, like pretty much every other phone out there.

It's their way or the highway. They don't need to go down side roads for a few extra customers. That's the Android/Microsoft method of doing business. Apple has shown over years and years that they don't want to go down that route. They've got a one-size-fits-all product and if you don't like it, oh well. They'll just make it so great that millions will love it and accept the limitations. Obviously (as shown by polls, the "cult", etc), there are plenty of customers willing to live without 4G, etc that Apple has more money than the US Gov't (at least at one point) by not making these extra versions.

Sure, they can squeeze out some more money by making extra versions. However, if it means less development time and possibly not having as good of a product, then that's just not the Apple way and they're not gonna do it. That could mean losing the faith of their "cultish" fans and isn't worth risking. There's a difference btw getting it to work ok and getting it almost perfect. Steve Jobs was a perfectionist. Now that he's gone, things might be different but I doubt it. He's not dead and he's still Chairman of the Board with a hand picked successor. Until the top execs are all gone, I don't see Apple deviating from its current path of 1 or 2 size fits all.

I mean, think about it from a more global view. It's Android vs iOS right? Well, it's really hundreds of phones vs 4 phones at the moment? Actually, with Android, it's more like hundreds vs. 2 (3GS and 4). Realistically, it's just 1 phone at a time versus tens or hundreds of competing ones at a time. And Apple is still making billions and billions with just 1 phone vs the world. There's simply no reason or need to get sidetracked and make these alternative versions.

Now, once LTE becomes a world standard, then I can see Apple throwing out a 4G radio into the iPhone. Until then, they'll stick with "outdated" tech that works beautifully. I mean, there's a reason they went with GSM first and stuck with it for so long. They can sell their one version all over the world.

[billm261]

What happened to Verizon, billm? Not greener on the other side?

The Photon uses the Beceem BCS350 chip. The BCS 500 is the one with the dual mode. Beceem was recently acquired by Broadcom and we have no idea what will happen to it.

Verizon?????? No way Jose............. It was AT&T

I got tired of the Microcell dropping calls or not connecting. I tried every fix and trick in the book. Being from the generation that had a vehicle mounted 3 watt NEC analog phone, I still use it first and foremost to talk on. I'd love for Sprint to match the 3G data speeds of everyone else but since I don't use Netflix or stream Youtube, I can get by with it. Wi-Max is MIA where I am.

For some reason, Sprint is the only carrier to have a decent signal in my house but yet all the other carriers do not. They all sit on the same 2 towers that are 2 miles (as the crow flies) away.

[bigsnake49]

Verizon?????? No way Jose............. It was AT&T

I got tired of the Microcell dropping calls or not connecting. I tried every fix and trick in the book. Being from the generation that had a vehicle mounted 3 watt NEC analog phone, I still use it first and foremost to talk on. I'd love for Sprint to match the 3G data speeds of everyone else but since I don't use Netflix or stream Youtube, I can get by with it. Wi-Max is MIA where I am.

For some reason, Sprint is the only carrier to have a decent signal in my house but yet all the other carriers do not. They all sit on the same 2 towers that are 2 miles (as the crow flies) away.

We have couple of WiMax towers in my hometown, just place holders. Their signal stops way before our condo.

I had that same problem except in reverse. Both Sprint and Verizon were on top of the same 15 story building. I was .36 miles away from the tower. Verizon signal was in the low 80's high 70's as expected. Sprint signal in the mid to high 90's. I guess downtilt and angle might have something to do with it.

Welcome back!

[davegtestr]

WiMax is just a joke, even here in Seattle. The trees, hills and buildings kill it. ClearWire knows this, based locally, and is a fraud. Let it (WiMax) die. I may be switching to the new CDMA/GSM/UMTS iPhone (or possibly the Verizon Thunderbolt) regardless of WiMax. There's more chance the iPhone will have LTE on it.

[The SPCS Guy]

iPhone 5 4G...Book It!

[bigsnake49]

iPhone 5 4G...Book It!

Yeah, I'm with you. Imagine, if you can, the iPhone 5 with the Beceem BCS500 Wimax/LTE chip, upgradeable/roamable.

[503ducati]

WiMax is just a joke, even here in Seattle. The trees, hills and buildings kill it. ClearWire knows this, based locally, and is a fraud.

LTE would perform just the same there as WiMAX in Seattle on.....2.5GHz

LTE & WiMAX are nearly identical technologies, your complaint is the inadequate deployment on that frequency. This has nothing to do with the platform.

[billm261]

Making a CDMA version is relatively simple, and it still took Apple years to decide if it was worth it. You know they could have broken the AT&T exclusive contract if they thought the millions of customers at Verizon were worth it.

It's their way or the highway.

I mean, there's a reason they went with GSM first and stuck with it for so long.

Your not even close to being correct, Verizon was offered the iPhone FIRST

Apple wanted a percentage of the monthly fees, control of distribution, (some) control over service and support and would not allow any of Verizons obnoxious bloatware on it.

It's only because Apple and Verizon could not work a deal did they approach AT&T.
Sorry, but you got it all wrong.

[NGeorge]

LTE would perform just the same there as WiMAX in Seattle on.....2.5GHz

LTE & WiMAX are nearly identical technologies, your complaint is the inadequate deployment on that frequency. This has nothing to do with the platform.

I agree that's a large part of it... the other part of it is that it is deployed TDD rather than FDD--ClearWire and Sprint tout TDD as the second coming, and it IS more efficient with spectrum use. That said, it also makes each tower about 40% less efficient as far as coverage goes vs. FDD (I wish I had the link--I remember reading that Clear had to de-tune their towers by as much as 50% to avoid interference on the upstream).

Clear and Sprint have oodles of 2.5 spectrum--I don't see why they didn't split some of the channels, deploy them as FDD for coverage reasons, and then once TDD/FDD dual mode chips are deployed explore the TDD side of things, once they have the true MASS of towers in place that it would take to fully deploy the system the way it is currently implemented. As it sits, they need panels on pretty much every tower that isn't within about 8 blocks of each other--and that's a lot.

As for the person that is in Seattle, so am I, and I totally agree. Downtown it is OK (where they put up tons of towers) but in the Federal Way/Tacoma area where I'm at, it's beyond terrible. I can listen to streaming radio from the base to downtown without a drop on 3G (hell I can go from Seattle to Portland without a drop), but it drops at LEAST 5 times on that drive when I try it with 4G. It doesn't help that the Clear panels are almost always the lowest on the towers (some by a wide margin... like 50 ft. off the ground on a 200 ft. tower).

There is ONE stretch outside of Seattle (that I've found so far) that shows how the entire area should be deployed: drive on 512 from Tacoma to past Puyallup, and then take 161 to Milton and into Federal Way--the 4G is great! ...also look at the towers along that route: Pretty much every single tower that is by itself, as well within every group of towers within view of the highway, has Clear panels on it somewhere. I don't know why they picked this one particular streatch to do it PROPERLY--but they have, and it gives hope that it IS POSSIBLE to do.

Going in to the Sprint store, they agree the building penetration "isn't quite as good as 3G" but they see NO reason why it should drop the radio as I drive on I5. Well, for one, Clear's towers are actually built AWAY from the freeway since they were initially put up with residential neighborhoods in mind, not the roads--and they haven't fixed it yet. Even more, they issued a press release not too long ago, specifically targeting Seattle, saying how they have improved coverage dramatically. Ummmm NOPE!

Put 2.5 along the freeway with all the other carriers and I might believe it--I hope Network Vision accomplishes this, even though Clear is still adamant they want to go it alone in existing markets.
--Nat

[503ducati]

LTE would perform just the same there as WiMAX in Seattle on.....2.5GHz

LTE & WiMAX are nearly identical technologies, your complaint is the inadequate deployment on that frequency. This has nothing to do with the platform.

I agree that's a large part of it...

That's a huge part of it. There's a big difference between 700MHz and 2.5GHz. Put WiMAX on 700MHz and it would be a big improvement vs 2.5GHz. It doesn't matter, it seems WiMAX technology and 2.5GHz are one and the same in this country while LTE and 700MHz are as well. The vast majority do not understand platform vs frequency vs deployment. However the good news is the Global 4G Frequency is 2.5/2.6GHz and is very abundant in many countries. I strongly believe over time deployment technologies and strategies in this frequency will noticeably improve.

[billm261]

It seems as though Sprint will roll out the iPhone5 with unlimited data however remarks made by Hesse seem to indicate it's on probation.

I don't know what he meant by "taxes"
Would this not apply to Androids also? It's not like they are going to convince hoards of Verizon or AT&T users to ditch their iPhone and come over.



Sprint CEO Dan Hesse mentioned that the idea will be scrapped if it starts to cost too much for the company in terms of taxes.
“If I have an all-you-can-eat buffet, and the entire New England Patriots football team shows up for dinner, it’s going to run me out of business,” said Dan Hesse.

http://www.iphone5talk.com/sprint-to...nlimited-data/

[billm261]

Add this to the mountain of evidence which says the Sprint iPhone 5 announcement is on the tip of Sprint’s tongue: the carrier just shrunk the return window for its Galaxy S2 phone from thirty days to fourteen. So much for test driving one for a month before Sprint launches the iPhone 5 as its new flagship device. Sprint’s move points to the iPhone 5 being available on the carrier in under a month. It also points to expectations within Sprint’s braintrust that there will be a massive shift among its existing customers from Android based devices like the Galaxy 2 to the iPhone 5 once the latter surfaces. Carriers often quietly facilitate off-policy returns and exchanges as a way of ensuring customer loyalty (better to allow an unhappy subscriber to switch to a different phone than face a broken contract, an unpaid ETF, and a defection to a competitor as the customer bails in a huff). But in this instance Sprint must be fearing such a mass shift that it doesn’t want to have to eat an inordinate number of returned Galaxy S2 units in favor of the iPhone 5. Either way, this is merely the latest development out of Sprint which points to it joining Verizon and AT&T in offering the iPhone this year…

http://www.beatweek.com/news/9433-sp...window-shrink/

[Evan702]

It seems as though Sprint will roll out the iPhone5 with unlimited data however remarks made by Hesse seem to indicate it's on probation.

I don't know what he meant by "taxes"

Who knows if he even said that. Notice that taxes comment isn't in quotation marks in the blog piece. Moreover, as you've alluded to, it really doesn't seem to make much sense.

Would this not apply to Androids also? It's not like they are going to convince hoards of Verizon or AT&T users to ditch their iPhone and come over.

I don't see why it wouldn't apply to Android devices especially since they supposedly consume more data than iOS devices. In any event, it's not like any of us can see into the future so it'll be interesting to see what actually happens when it happens.