A Verizon iPhone?

After years of rumors, iPhone users will have an alternative to much-bemoaned carrier AT&T come January, reports Bloomberg, when Verizon Wireless begins selling Apple's phone. Because of notorious service problems with AT&T's network, some analysts predict the expansion to Verizon could trigger a massive increase in sales — but, as yet, neither Verizon nor Apple has yet confirmed the report. How will this play out? (Watch a report about Verizon's iPhone plan)

Now's the time to buy Apple stock: If the iPhone goes to Verizon which has a "subscriber base of 83 million," speculates John Paczkowski in All Things D, Apple could enjoy a bump of "12 million new unit sales." That would "translate to more than $7 billion in incremental revenue" in 2011. Needless to say, this would "certainly brutalize AT&T’s subscriber base."

"Verizon could sell 12 million iPhones annually"

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

January? Rotten timing: Don't be so sure, says Nilay Patel in Engadget. Launching the "hotly-anticipated Verizon iPhone right after the holiday buying season" might not be the "smartest move," since Americans will surely be strapped for cash. Plus, "all those iPhone 4 buyers" who just signed "new two-year AT&T contracts" aren't likely to switch carriers anytime soon.

"Verizon iPhone in January, claims Bloomberg"

Everyone might benefit: This could also help restore AT&T's reputation, says Sam Diaz in ZDNet. "Apple sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 devices in its first few days on the market," which increased "strain" on AT&T's already overburdened network. If enough customers "defect" to Verizon, "one might think that the AT&T service would get better. Maybe?"

"Five new questions that stem from Bloomberg's Verizon-iPhone report"