IPhone 5 Exclusive on Sprint?

[Neutrino]

@BGR: Sprint guarantees to buy over $20 billion in iPhones from Apple, launching the iPhone 5. https://t.co/CP3DMjfr


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[Netherscourge]

Can the Sprint network possibly handle an exclusive iPhone 5 subscriber base?

 

[liquidzoo]

Launching with Sprint support: 80/20 yes

Sprint Exclusive: 100% no.

As much as one of my friends would like to argue this point, there is no way it will be Sprint exclusive.

 

[mobile79]

Exclusive to Sprint? Boy would this piss a lot of people off.

 

[kch50428]

Does anyone here really think that Apple would enrage their loyal users on AT&T and Verizon to give Sprint this deal?

If you do, send me some of what you're drinking and/or smoking because I want to live in a fantasy world too

 

[DreamOutLoud65]

whoa! This seems a little unbelievable.. BGR is really grasping here.. me thinks..

 

[DrewBear]

30 million iPhones over 4 years. WSJ is usually a very strong source. This would certainly explain Sprint?s October 7th event.

 

[Neutrino]

@allthingsd: Sprint to "Bet the Company" on iPhone https://t.co/3qg0dqQP

More info: Sprint would be in the red through 2014. Wonder who would buy Sprint then? Fire auction sale!


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[Netherscourge]

Is this Apple's attempt to bully AT&T and Verizon back into offering unlimited data plans?

Because if it is, I LIKE IT.

 

[pilsbury]

LOL@kch. No way AT&T is not going to get the i5. Sprint couldnt handle an exclusive, and ATT and Apple have a VERY lucrative partnership (for both parties) going.

 

[Neutrino]

Might also explain why Apple Stores have been installing 4G equipment.


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[Jellotime91]

Is this Apple's attempt to bully AT&T and Verizon back into offering unlimited data plans?

Because if it is, I LIKE IT.

That would actually make sense. But there's absolutely no way Apple is giving Sprint the iPhone 5 and no one else.

I can see Apple and Sprint having some serious marketing together though, if Sprint does indeed keep unlimited data for the iPhone.

 

[liquidzoo]

Might also explain why Apple Stores have been installing 4G equipment.


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Apple already has a deal with Verizon, who is running a 4G (well, 3.5G officially) LTE network. AT&T also has a LTE network up, though it's very small right now.

Sprint's LTE network is still in testing last I heard, and only their WiMAX network was up (though incredibly spotty in a lot of places I've heard).

The rest of the world is going with LTE (the big carriers anyway), though it has been reported from Apple (a year-ish ago, can't find the link atm) that the first 4G iPhone will be the iPhone 6 (at the earliest). Very little chance of a 4G iPhone this time around, and a much less chance of it being WiMAX when no other large carrier in the world could use the technology.

Seriously, don't get your hopes up for a Sprint exclusive iPhone 5. Sprint's network, as robust as they make it sound, would be crippled.

 

[Premium1]

I can't see them changing it just for Sprint. Look how they kept the same one when verizon got it. I can't see them staggering a release on the nations two largest carriers. They would be losing out on a ton of customers.

 

[Neutrino]

We're not just talking US customers, but the world!


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[DrewBear]

Let's not confuse the two main stories that just broke.

WSJ is reporting a NON-EXCLUSIVE agreement for Sprint to buy $20 billion worth of iPhones over 4 yrs. Nothing about 4G/WiMAX. This is a credible story.

BGR is reporting an exclusive agreement for Sprint to get the 4G iPhone 5 months before it is released to AT&T and Verizon as a LTE phone. This is total BS.

 

[anon(4698833)]

I heard the iPhone 5 was coming exclusively to Metro PCS...

 

[Netherscourge]

Why would Sprint just go buy $20 billion worth of iPhone 5s if they weren't getting some sort of trade-off?

Not only are they paying $20B up front, they'd have to eat some of the iPhone 5's actual per-unit cost just to get people to buy it and sign up on their network.

That's a pretty huge gamble if they aren't getting something from Apple to make it worth it.

 

[DannyMichel]

Is this Apple's attempt to bully AT&T and Verizon back into offering unlimited data plans?

Because if it is, I LIKE IT.

Haha, hell yeah, that would be awesome


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[Neutrino]

Let's not confuse the two main stories that just broke.

WSJ is reporting a NON-EXCLUSIVE agreement for Sprint to buy $20 billion worth of iPhones over 4 yrs. Nothing about 4G/WiMAX. This is a credible story.

BGR is reporting an exclusive agreement for Sprint to get the 4G iPhone 5 months before it is released to AT&T and Verizon as a LTE phone. This is total BS.

Absolutely true on both parts. The bit about 4G/WiMax is entirely from BG's speculation. I wouldn't call it BS. It is insightful into the possible goings on of Sprint. Credible, maybe not. Only one way to validate that - tomorrow!

"I have been going back and forth for weeks with one of my incredibly solid industry contacts on a piece of information that I couldn?t really process at first ? information that is so unbelievable, even from a source this solid, that I couldn?t report it. With this new WSJ report on an Apple/Sprint deal, however, it doesn?t look so crazy. Hit the break for more.

I have been told that Sprint will be getting the iPhone 5 ? yes the real iPhone 5, not the iPhone 4S ? as an exclusive. And it will be a 4G WiMAX device. AT&T and Verizon would launch the iPhone 4S and get the iPhone 5 some time in the first quarter of next year as an LTE device. Globally, the iPhone 5 might be available as a 4G HSPA+ device."