Bloodbath: 54% of Verizon’s Android, BlackBerry users likely to upgrade to iPhone on day one

Mac Daily News ^ | February 3, 2011

[Southack]

I’ve used all 3 phones in a business environment.
1. Android is the best (interface, pics, call clarity, OS, etc.).
2. iPhone is a close 2nd (need Apple Store to change the battery).
3. Blackberry is 3rd (clumsy interface and fewer aps).

[battousai]

It is mindboggling that billions and billions of dollars are spent by cell phone makers who make ridiculously crappy and unusable and non-secure cell phones. Once the iPhone is available on Verizon, the other cell phone companies will whither away. Crap for the landfill. Pure Adam Smith...

oO is that why my 'superior' iPhone decided to turn its screen on in its holster and fry itself, while my several HTC's even one that is 6 years old (windows mobile) still work fine. Just like any piece of technology some of it will eventually fail.

I have nothing against iPhones since I did own a couple, but currently I prefer my Android phones but also use an iPad (tethered to my Android for 3G when I need it) so I use what works, but it does irk me when apple fanboys (girls?) make blanket statements that make no sense

There are quite a few excellent phones out there and surprise surprise not all of them are made by Apple. Someone mentioned the EVO 4G which is an excellent phone as well as the new HTC Windows 7 phones, Samsung has some nice handsets too with screens that put iPhones to shame, so where do you come off calling everything else 'crap', just a little ill-informed I would say?

[WHBates]

"That changed after AT&T bought Alltel’s network infrastructure.

Humm, I thought that Verizon bought Alltel. Was that done so the purchase could get regulatory approval?

[idkfa]

I wouldn’t go with Verizon if they paid me given their history of crippling phones and poor service in my area. (Been with US Cellular for 16 years)

I wouldn’t go to an iphone but may consider giving up on Blackberry for Android but I don’t need a bunch of apps that are cool for a week.

[umgud]

I know very little about the iPhone, but I sure like my Droid-X, which replaced a Blackberry I hated.

[Svartalfiar]

Yep, and from my own and some friend’s experience, ATT tends to be better in more urban areas, whereas Verizon is much better in rural areas.

Went to a family reunion up in Radon, IL a short time ago, and I had zero signal (ATT). My relatives (most of whom I’d never met) with Verizon had a decent signal :p

As to the iPhone, yea, its great, but it is rather over-hyped and Apple is, I think, way too overprotective. I’d suggest going with an Android phone. Better, more personalizable, plus, the Android version of Angry Birds is free!

[norge]

I have both an I-Phone 4 and a Droid X. It took me one day to figure that the Droid was far superior. I made two calls on the I-Phone and during the call, I asked if I could call back. I did...on the Droid, and both my callers remarked how much better the call was...without knowing I switched phones.

[foundedonpurpose]

Agreed, Verizon is costly. I’m with T- mobile, far from perfect, but the difference in service will not kill me or hurt me long term. In the mean time, money saved is money earned. Oh ya, Qwest had sprint as their provider, when we were on the west coast, never had a problem.

[BigSkyFreeper]

No. Alltel went bankrupt and AT&T saw the opportunity to purchase Alltel because Alltel was in most area’s AT&T wasn’t. Alltel customers in return would get the chance to own AT&T phones, plans and an upgraded network.

[Richard Kimball]

That’s what I’m hoping for.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

I have an Incredible and my daughters have Touches. The Touch interface is slicker than Android. FR works better on the Android --significantly so. The Touch screen is significantly smaller than the Incredible. And although the rounded Touch body looks better, it's harder for me to hold onto. Screen size is the deciding factor for me. I also like the Google GPS, especially street view. Facetime on the Touch is fun for the kids. I can't see using it myself, except it's handy to use for "teleconferencing" around the house. I guess user preference depends on what features you like the most.

[Swordmaker]

This is a repeat of the Windows/MAC wars where Apple became a niche player.

History repeats itself.

Not exactly... In any market where the iPhone is equally available, it outsells Android. AT&T offered both iPhones and Androids and iPhones outsold Androids eight to one. The same ratio holds in other carriers around the world that sell both.

[Swordmaker]

This is a repeat of the Windows/MAC wars where Apple became a niche player.

History repeats itself.

Not exactly... In any market where the iPhone is equally available, it outsells Android. AT&T offered both iPhones and Androids and iPhones outsold Androids eight to one. The same ratio holds in other carriers around the world that sell both.

[EDINVA]

I’m with you on thinking $30/mo for each line on a family plan is outrageous. Those who can’t pay for their own cell don’t need one with internet access.

Kids get into school and spend the day txt’ing each other, twittering, posting to Facebook, etc. I see my nephews’ kids posting at FB all school day long. I wouldn’t tolerate it! In the meanwhile, the kids’ grammar is atrocious. Don’t know the difference between your and youre but they sure know how to message.

[Smokin' Joe]

Verizon’s coverage is virtually non-existent between Bismarck and Dickinson, ND.

I joke with the Alltel (soon to be AT&T) people about being able to drill for oil based on their coverage map. No coverage= an oil well...or at least a drilling location.

[Krankor]

I’m looking forward to the new Jitterbug.

[chuckles]

Frankly I think this is all BS. What you have is a bunch of Yankee north easterners dissatisfied with ATT in the NE. The rest of the country seems fine to me. The New York-Boston crowd will dump ATT and probably rightly so because ATT didn't concentrate on the Verizon home turf. Many are trapped in a contract and can' afford to dump right now, and the rest of the country is wondering what people are talking about. ATT coverage is pretty good in the south and I don't know about the west but I'll bet it's OK. There will be some switching going on with those that can afford it in the NE, but I just don't see a mass Exodus in the rest of the country. I like the EVO phone better anyway.

The dirty secret is neither one will have 4G capability for awhile longer. When Verizon says it will have 4G, they will be talking about a minuscule amount in limited areas. I say good riddance so my network will get faster when the IPhone snobs leave.

[Swordmaker]

These are just happy iPhone users dissatisfied with AT&T’s crappy network service.

Read again... While the article does speak of some people moving from AT&T, the meat has to do with Verizon Android and Blackberry customers, 54%, who are planning to jump ship to the iPhone on the first day!

[Swordmaker]

I have an Incredible and my daughters have Touches. The Touch interface is slicker than Android. FR works better on the Android --significantly so.

I'm curious. FR's interface is extremely straight forward. In what way does it work better on Android than it does on the iPod touch, or iPhone? Both use the same underlying engine, webkit. What makes the difference?

[stripes1776]

The ATT customers who stay will likely be rewarded with a more stable network as the excess bandwidth users go over to bog down Verizon’s network.

That sounds like good news.