Verizon's 2-pronged Iphone attack / Iphone 4G Coming to VZW??

[bobukcat]

I already found Verizon's latest two pronged attack on the Iphone interesting, first with the "there's a map for that" ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zagFT6VI5tI

Followed up this weekend with the iPhone stylized "Everything iDon't, DROID does" spot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPYM-XTqcec

(on a side note I also found it interesting that they had to license the name "Droid" from lucasfilm, I would have thought it was a natural shortening of the term android but I guess the lawyers see if differently)

But this story, if true, about them getting an iPhone for their upcoming 4G (LTE) network would make this recent attack seem particularly odd:

http://fonefrenzy.com/2009/10/18/bigger-news-for-verizon-than-motorolas-droid/

[machavez00]

It's a Motorola phone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Droid
http://images.pcworld.com/news/graphics/169401-moto-scholes-main-pcw_original.jpg

[bobukcat]

Oh I know perfectly well what phone it is, I've been following it for some time (link to more recent pictures included) but it's the way Verizon is going after the iPhone in two different ways that I find interesting. I also think it puts the validity of the 4G iPhone on Verizon article on shaky ground; I just can't imagine Cupertino continuing to work on development with a company that's taking shots at them via commercials.

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/gallery/handsets/motorola-droid/

[machavez00]

my bad
I'm a Verizon sub and Mac user, and was hoping for a V iPhone. I'm a Freescale employee and am disappointed that Motorola went with a TI chip for the phone. The Wikipedia article says it has WiFi, which I suspect won't be included in the V version.

[bobukcat]

my bad
I'm a Verizon sub and Mac user, and was hoping for a V iPhone. I'm a Freescale employee and am disappointed that Motorola went with a TI chip for the phone. The Wikipedia article says it has WiFi, which I suspect won't be included in the V version.

I suspect the main reason they went with the TI OMAP processor is that it's the same thing the Pre and iPhone 3GS are running (although clocked higher than the 3GS). The VZW version definitely has Wi-Fi in it, the word on the street is that Google had a big part in designing this phone (it will be the only Android 2.0 phone for several months if the rumors are true) and since it's a "Google Experience" phone, complete with their logo, they won't allow Verizon to restrict stuff.

[Lee L]

Oh I know perfectly well what phone it is, I've been following it for some time (link to more recent pictures included) but it's the way Verizon is going after the iPhone in two different ways that I find interesting. I also think it puts the validity of the 4G iPhone on Verizon article on shaky ground; I just can't imagine Cupertino continuing to work on development with a company that's taking shots at them via commercials.

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/gallery/handsets/motorola-droid/

Plus, it would be pretty silly and disingenuous for Verizon to rail against the iPhone and then carry it a few months later.

[bobukcat]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this topic so I didn't want to open a new thread for this but BGR just did a preview of the device complete with a short video of it on a docking station and showing off some pretty dang zippy screen transitions!

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/10/23/motorola-droid-preview/

I'm ordering one the day they open up sales!

[bobukcat]

One way to tell your advertising campaign is getting attention: getting sued to try to stop it from airing!! :lol:

This is far from the the first lawsuit between these two but it still shows that even though (according to this story) VZW changed the adds twice, AT&Dropped Calls still believes it's being hit below the belt.

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/11/03/atandt-sues-verizon-over-theres-a-map-for-that-ads/

[Lee L]

I guess I can kind of see ATT's point on one hand, if you assume the average consumer is an idiot. I know that they are just showing 3G coverage and it says so right on the map, but I guess someone that was cluless might be confused as they allege. I guess the simplest thing would be to show light blue where Att has regular service and keep the dark blue showing 3 G. It would still be just as efective.

Plus, as an ATT customer I know all well how often you see it switch to Edge. THey are striking ATT at their weakest point, which is their network, which even in the blue 3G areas, it still sucks. More bars in more places? Crap, they reprogrammed the iPhone to read more bars with less signal at some point in the 2.0 software cycle. Now, I get 5 bars when I have 20% of best signal and only get 1 bar when I really have nothign at all.

[Mark Holtz]

My current phone contract is up in July. We'll see what happens and what phones are available through Verizon.