Apple “Not Married to the exclusive, single-carrier model…”
Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook mentioned at a recent Goldman Sachs investor conference that in addition to still aiming for 10 milllion iPhones sold in fiscal year 2008, “Apple is not married to the single, exclusive-carrier model”.
Let me speak for all of the Verizon Wireless subscribers in the northeast who don’t want to switch over to the poor coverage of AT&T Wireless when I say “WANT!“
I don’t think that Apple will be able to sell 10 million units if they don’t go outside of one carrier. Though it is true that the iPhone in it’s current manifestation would not work on VZW’s network (GSM chip on CDMA network), it is possible with currently available, off the shelf CDMA chips. Since Apple has about 18 billion in cash on hand and no long term debt to speak of, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a buy out of the five-year exclusive contract.