Verizon iPhone 4: Should You Get One Now? - Shelly Palmer - MediaBizBloggers

quotShould I get a Verizon iPhone 4quot is the number one question I39ve been asked this week in person via email on the web via smoke signals and by carrier pigeon The short answer is no The long answer is if you love your existing iPhone 4 but really really hate ATampampT then yes but otherwise no Here39s whyVerizon39s iPhone 4 is going to be almost exactly the same as ATampampT39s iPhone 4 The key difference is the networkATampampT uses a GSM Global System for Mobile network and Verizon uses a CDMA Code Division Multiple Access network This is ignorable geek speak except for one fact you will not be able to browse the web while you are engaged in a voice telephone call on a Verizon iPhone 4Because these phones are substantially identical you may be tempted to immediately switch from ATampampT to Verizon After all advertising and propaganda aside the Verizon Network is known to be the best most farreaching mobile network and it rarely drops callsBut here39s what you need to consider1 ATampampT is not letting you out of your contract without an early termination fee ATampampT39s wireless customer agreement says the fee is 325 minus 10 for each month of service paid for The ATampampT iPhone 4 came out at the end of June 2010 so do the math2 The aftermarket for your existing ATampampT iPhone is going to be nonexistent so you will also be eating the cost of your 200300 iPhone 43 Your Verizon iPhone 4 is going to set you back 200300 depending upon which one you select4 You must make a twoyear commitment to Verizon and this is the big one amp8211 REMEMBER the Verizon iPhone 4 is a 3G EVDO CDMA device This means that is will work on the existing Verizon 3G network but it is not 4G compatibleVerizon has been busy shouting as loud as it can about LTE Long Term Evolution its new 4G network It will not be long before Verizon starts to offer 4G mobile devices like Samsung39s Galaxy Tab 4G Motorola39s Xoom any number of Android smartphones and a ton of other 4G LTE stuffWhich begs for the question With 4G around the corner why would you commit to a twoyear contract in February 2011 for a 3G device It makes no sense at allIf Apple continues its MO of one new iPhone per year you can expect the iPhone 5 to debut this springsummer Will it be a 4G LTE compatible device I hope so If it isn39t it will have no chance competing with the Samsung HTC Moto and other 4G LTE devices that will be everywhere by thenWhen you look at the cost of switching the cost of the commitment to 3G and the sunk cost of purchasing two iPhones that are obsolete switching is not a great idea and signing up for a new Verizon iPhone 4 is well dumbFor those of you who are still not convinced that you should sit this one out here are a few facts you need to know1 A Verizon version of Apple39s iPhone 4 will be available for preorder on February 3 20103 The Verizon iPhone will act as a five device mobile hotspot It39s like having a MiFi 2200 WiFi hotspot built into your phone Awesome feature4 Pricing The 16GB model is expected to cost 200 the 32GB model is expected to cost 300 Both require a 2year contract5 You cannot take your ATampampT iPhone walk into Verizon and ask them to switch it over you must purchase a new Verizon iPhone 6 If you switch all of your apps will still work Apps are a function of the iPhone and have nothing to do with the network If you cancel your ATampampT iPhone and purchase a new Verizon iPhone iTunes will just restore your apps to your new Verizon iPhoneShelly Palmer is the host of MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer a daily show featuring news you can use about technology media ampamp entertainment He is the author of Television Disrupted The Transition from Network to Networked TV 2008 New York House Press and the upcoming Get Digital Reinventing Yourself and Your Career for the 21st Century Economy 2009 Lake House Press Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts ampamp Sciences NY the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy Awards For information about Get Digital Classes visit httpwwwshellypalmercomseminars Watch Digital Life with Shelly Palmer Tuesdays at 10p ET on WNBC39s NY Nonstop httpwwwshellypalmercomdigitallifeRead all Shelly39s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at Shelly Palmer ReportCheck us out on Facebook at MediaBizBloggerscomFollow our Twitter updates MediaBizBloggerMediaBizBloggers is an openthought leadership blog platform for media marketing and advertising professionals companies and organizations To contribute contact Jackmediadvisorygroupcom The opinions expressed in MediaBizBloggerscom are not those of Media Advisory Group its employees or other MediaBizBloggerscom contributors Media Advisory Group accepts no responsibility for the views of MediaBizBloggers authors

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Verizon iPhone 4: Should You Get One Now? - Shelly Palmer - MediaBizBloggers

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