Comments on: Shifting mobile choices: device first, network second

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:54:42 +0000

That will become clearer in the near future when Pre3, Mango, iPhone and IceCreamS battle for smartphone supremacy, not to mention tablets… I hope manufs will follow Apple’s example and not build exclusives. Nokia has a penta-band radio that can accommodate all North-A. carriers… Interesting times ahead!

By: Kevin C. Tofel

Kevin C. Tofel — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:41:32 +0000

Good point that I really hadn’t considered in great detail, Charles: are there 2 smartphone markets where consumers behave differently? At the high end, buyers might be willing to overlook some network challenges in order to gain hardware functions or features? Hmm…..

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:48:00 +0000

I must add: I think you’re right on the money. I also think the smartphone market has started to split into high-end and low-end smartphones. For the high-end user, the device is more important than the network. And there’s more room for expansion for high-end devices…

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:27:17 +0000

Device way first me. I use the network only for occasional voice calls and txt. My home WIFI and WIFI hot spots meet my needs for now, which I use for email, news, podcast downloading, browning and playing. Most important to me is time, task and contact management. I Also use my HTC Sensation for listening to podcast and music, GPS searching & navigation, picture and video.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:20:38 +0000

What is the best 4.3 LTE right now on Verizon or should I wait for the Bionic?

By: Allison

Allison — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:00:55 +0000

Interesting article Kevin. For me, when the iPhone was limited to ATT, I stayed with Verizon for several reasons, despite really wanting an iPhone. First, all the initial bad reports about ATT’s service and my unwillingness to give up Verizon’s superior (at that time anyway) network. I’m also part of a Family Plan on Verizon (all 5 lines, would like a 6th– large family here) and I didn’t want to bear the cost and inconvenience of two accounts and two primary lines, which gets expensive. Third, once I moved to an Android phone, I found I really liked it. Google and iPhone don’t play as well together as I need (I use: Gmail, Google Music, Sites, Reader, Books, Calendar, and so on). In other words, I really take advantage of the integration and use my phone a lot (Samsung Fascinate). And I like it, a lot.

I doubt I’m the only person who Apple lost due to ATT/iPhone exclusivity.

So, while I have All Things Apple for computers, I’m reluctant to make the switch. And, I still like being on Verizon: it just works, all the time.

As for unlimited data, it’s really rotton what these companies did. To pay $30 for unlimited data, and then make (new) users pay $30 for 2 GB of data is just maddening. They should have dropped the price and they also need to introduce family data plans.

By: CM

CM — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:19:18 +0000

Ahh spoken like true tech insiders. Pull the bottle glasses off. The smartphone penetration is at 35%-36% for a reason – mass market US consumers (and ROW) like cheap phones. Best thing that ever happend to iPhone was a cheap iPhone. I will venture to guess that once you take away “early adopters” which glom onto the new, hip and expensive the smartphone penetration is closer to 18% of “mass market”