01-09-2007, 08:16 AM
Smartphones are higher margin, higher value items that can play in a greater ecosystem of software, peripherals, and other accessories. Think about it: current smartphones leave a lot to be desired. Palm OS is nice and simple, but very dated indeed. Windows Mobile is too complicated yet strangely limited in some key ways. Symbian doesn't really have a big presence in the US market. About all I can say about Blackberry is that it's functional. If Apple really can come out with a mobile version of Mac OS X and really make it work for mobile devices, they've got a pretty big opportunity here.
Apple doesn't have to have the cell providers subsidize the phone if they don't want to. They can sell their devices unlocked -- sure they'll be more expensive than subsidized phones with long contracts tied to them, but if Apple comes out with the right product(s), people will gladly pay for them.
I don't think the virtual carrier route is a very smart way to go. Just another layer of complexity and bureaucracy to deal with.
Apple doesn't have to have the cell providers subsidize the phone if they don't want to. They can sell their devices unlocked -- sure they'll be more expensive than subsidized phones with long contracts tied to them, but if Apple comes out with the right product(s), people will gladly pay for them.
I don't think the virtual carrier route is a very smart way to go. Just another layer of complexity and bureaucracy to deal with.