Verizon iPhone has devs, analysts excited by increased audience

by Mike Schramm on Jan 11th 2011 10:30PM

As expected, Verizon announced today that it would become the second US company to carry Apple's iPhone on its service, finally offering an alternative to AT&T, which up until now has had an iron grip on the popular device. Game developers are thrilled at the prospect of a whole new audience for a platform so friendly to mobile games, with some analysts and devs predicting mobile gaming revenue could double as soon as the end of this year.

Of course, devs are aware that there could be some issues, both with bringing scads of new customers onto the platform as well as transferring some customers from AT&T over to Verizon. But on the whole, they're giddy with optimism -- analysts are saying that as many as 13 million new iPhones could be sold on the Verizon service, and each one of those is a potential new customer for iOS developers.

Source: Industry Gamers, Gamasutra

Tags: analysts, apple, games, gaming, ios, iphone, mobile, mobile-gaming, revenues, verizon

Reader Comments (44)

Wouldn't Verizon iPhone devs be the same as the AT&T iPhone devs? It's not as if there's any fundamentally huge differences with the platform or anything.

'bout bloody time. AT&T's monopoly on iphones lasted far too long.

@Poifection
Yeah, because Verizon is better or something.

After reading the announcement, then reading...

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/01/11/verizon-iphone-hardware-is-still-the-iphone-4?icid=sphere_aol_tuaw

AT&T seems to have the better phone. International roaming is limited, some cases and that wont work with it, cant do voice and data at the same time.

That last one seems like a big one to me, IMHO.

@Faenix

By far my biggest issue is that you use voice and data at the same time, I have the attention span of a 3 month old puppy, I would go bananas.

@Faenix

All Verizon phones can't do that. It's something with their servers

@Faenix The last one is a big one, but not to existing Verizon customers. They're used to it. That should really only affect you if you're switching (and I'm not yet, but because of international compatibility).

@Prboi
Yup, its CDMA

@Prboi
Limitation of the CDMA radio.
Sprint and Verizon are CDMA.
T-Mobile and AT&T are GSM.

@ForeverAndEver

You just wait and see how many people dump their "Smart" phones in favor of iPhones. Analysts are expecting Verizon to sell something along the lines of 10 million iPhones in the first year.

And the fact that iPhone is expected to be updated in June/July it's not too much of a stretch to see a year that the iPhone outsells ALL Android phones.

Last year, my iPod touch was left in the ol' Jean pocket, and when it entered the washer, it passed. Luckily, other family members have touches I at home, and obviously we have a couple of computers.

That being said, I'm craving for my own personal iDevice again, and I smell an iPhone brewing nearby...

This won't really help Verizon much. They already make a shit load of money on their line up of phones, doubt iphone will make a dent. All the iPhone 4 is, is a name. People see the name "iPhone" & they instantly get excited. Don't get me wrong, for the people who like it, keep using it. All I'm saying is that their are PLENTY of other phones that can do a hell of a lot more than the iPhone 4 can without jailbreaking it.

@Prboi, of course there are plenty of phones that have better specs than the iphone, but the iphone is the most popular phone in the world. surely it will make a much bigger impact on verizon than just a "dent".

@pangit

I just really don't see why this is so big. Yes it's a nice phone but Apple limits it's abilities WAY too much. I think it's all the advertising they do for it to make it seem so cool to the average buyer. People who know their phones will either A) Not pick this up & pick up a much more powerful & expansive phone or B) Buy this, jailbreak & unlock it.

I cant switch, I wouldn't be able to deal with not being able to browse the internet and talk on the phone at the same time. CMDA= no thanks

@Pojomofo
OOPS! meant CDMA

@ForeverAndEver As someone who works for Verizon I would agree except for the fact I've been asked about the iPhone every day sometimes several times a day for over a year. Alot of non techies will be getting this phone just because of the hype which leads to potential customers like the article mentioned.

Unless you really like playing games on your phone, the choice between the Droid Bionic and iPhone 4 should be pretty clear.

I REALLY hope that this doesn't somehow kill the sales of Android phones. I love the Android OS and I've never been really fond of Apple products. I'd hate to see Androids go under, however unlikely it may be.

@Xiegfried

It wont.

@Xiegfried

Android phones sell on the same carriers as the iphone in many places around the world. Its not going anywhere.

@ForeverAndEver

It's really not.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networking/android-runs-down-iphone-in-the-smartphone-races/518

Consider that the iPhone is only 1% lower than Android and that it has only been on 1 carrier while android has been on all.

all i gotta say is THANK GOD!!...

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), you'll eat those words. For the non-tech crowd, there are two types of phones - the iPhone and other phones. Remember the '90's when it seemed like everybody on the face of the Earth had a Motorola RAZR? It wasn't the best phone on the market, but it seemed like everybody had one. That's what the Verizon iPhone means. I hope you're right - competition is good and Android has a slew of great phones, but people are going to show up in droves to switch over to the iPhone on Verizon.

In my opinion the iPhone is a well made product. I dunno why there's all the hate. As a Verizon customer I'm excited to finally be able to get it, although I think I'll wait until summer for the iPhone 5.

@Burnflare

which is what everyone should do unless you do have money like that and you really really love apple

@PR0F3TA Except you can ALWAYS wait. You can wait for a new droid phone too. You can wait for a new anything.

Welcome to the tech world. -_-

@grossgreg "Remember the '90's when it seemed like everybody on the face of the Earth had a Motorola RAZR?"
WTF? What?

@Shadow0324

iPhone is just a name average buys can associate with. People who don't know about phones know about the iPhone. My grandmother knows about the iPhone. Fact is, Apple has been doing with the iPhone what MS is doing with Kinect. Advertising to the general public. That's why they sell so much. That's why people like them despite it's semi-outdated specs & relatively small small screen (compared to the phones out on the market).

@ForeverAndEver

why are people downvoting him? he's right. android has been outselling the iphone in recent months.

Too late, I gave up waiting and got an android phone, and honestly, I'm really happy with it.

I know that the device is supposed to be terrific, but it really gets to me how all Apple advertisements seem so .. arrogant. "It begins"?!?!?! This is 98% the same product that has been out for 6 months. This is not unlike the breathless wait for a white iPhone.

Replace "iPhone" with "PS3" and "Verizon" with "Mass Effect 2" and think of how aggrandized this seems.

@CrumbBum

Ever seen or heard a Motorola droid commercial? Just as arrogant and twice as annoying.

I know several people who are HTC loyalists that are dissapointed by the upcoming lineup and hate Motorola and LG phones that are considering the jump to iOS if the iphone5 supports LTE.

@CrumbBum I see iphone commercials that display their product, and show what it does.

I see other phone commercials, and they just try to say "hey, we're better than apple".

I have really no idea what those phones do, but I'm supposed to trust that they're better!

@jimmer411

True, but at least the Droid commercials form full sentences.

The iPad is a tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content.Now a days it is available at online shopping sites. One should use it.

@maveric101

Because he said something against apple, that's heresy that is.

Sorry, but Verizon took too long and dicked the dog too much on not announcing and denying rumors. I got a droid, now my ipod touch is back to being an MP3 player, and I don't think i'd shell out hundreds for a phone I can't even delete media off of without hooking it to my pc.

@Prboi Other random stats aside, I'll take a marginally smaller screen with a resolution that is absolutely gorgeous anyday :P

@jynxycat

agreed

@Shadow0324 Way to spin that in Apples favor. Sure, it's only 1% higher then Apple, but 2 or 3 months ago it was %5 behind Apple.

@Shadow0324 Also, I like how you put the word smart in quotes. Just shows how ignorant you are when it comes to what other smartphones can do.

@Kodros

Regardless, its was on one provider as apposed to android be on several and only bairly being ahead. Not to mention a provider notorious for being the worst.

We'll just have to wait and see how it does with a provider that doesn't suck

I have android and I prefer it

Verizon iPhone has devs, analysts excited by increased audience

Reader Comments (44)

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:43PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:44PM Poifection said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:53PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:44PM Faenix said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:50PM Pojomofo said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:51PM Prboi said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:52PM Epoque said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:54PM Pojomofo said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:59PM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:46PM Shadow0324 said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:49PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:49PM Prboi said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:02PM pangit said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 12:13AM Prboi said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:49PM Pojomofo said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:51PM Pojomofo said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 10:50PM isOmetriC said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:00PM einhanderkiller said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:10PM Xiegfried said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 6:08AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:22PM Kodros said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:24PM Shadow0324 said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:29PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Jan 11th 2011 11:29PM grossgreg said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 12:31AM Burnflare said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 5:18AM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 10:27AM jynxycat said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 12:32AM Metalfacedoom said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 12:51AM Prboi said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:16AM maveric101 said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:26AM 343 Guilty Fart said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 2:50AM CrumbBum said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 5:59AM jimmer411 said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 10:28AM jynxycat said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:19PM Kodros said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 5:07AM kashif143 said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 6:05AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 8:22AM Synner said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 10:25AM jynxycat said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 12:15PM lessthankris said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:12PM Kodros said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 1:16PM Kodros said

Posted: Jan 12th 2011 5:29PM lessthankris said

Posted: Jan 15th 2011 5:16PM apache said

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