Verizon Wireless passed on the iPhone?
So what does Verizon know that the rest don’t seem to know? Everyone is screaming they’ll buy the iPhone when released. Not sure how those heavy email users will go for not having a full QWERTY keyboard and actually typing on the display. For those who have a Pocket PC phone or Treo now, what does your screen look like at the end of a busy day? Now imagine what that same screen would look like if you didn’t use your keyboard, but actually used your fingers for everything.
Anyway, it appears Verizon Wireless had the opportunity to be the exclusive Apple iPhone provider, but the No. 2 U.S. cellphone carrier passed on the deal almost two years ago. Apple's rich financial terms and other demands seem to have killed the deal for Verizon Wireless.
Among other things, Apple wanted "a percentage of the monthly cellphone fees, say over how and where iPhones could be sold and control of the relationship with iPhone customers." Jim Gerace, a Verizon Wireless vice president said, "We said no. We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn't reach a deal that was mutually beneficial."
Verizon's decision to pull the plug on talks sent Apple into the waiting arms of Cingular, which will be the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iPhone. The multifunction device is expected to ship in June and cost about $500.
You can catch the full story here, but can you imagine Apple “controlling the relationship with iPhone customers”? No one is really happy with customer service with wireless carriers, but I can’t imagine someone like Apple taking over that relationship. What a mess. Let’s guess at what the “among other things…” and “…other demands…” were.