2 Hrs Until iPhone-Verizon Event

Judging by my last few posts, you know very well by now that I am immensely excited by the fact that we are ever closer to having the iPhone available to Verizon customers.

And in the last, I have said that I am a dedicated T-Mobile customer, I just might be swayed if this was a LTE rather than a CDMA model.

Having said that, I have gotten up early this morning, did my workout, came into work early to finish my morning tasks (e-mails, faxes, phone calls with folks in other time-zones). The mocha is set and my buttered bread ready to be toasted.

I have allocated the hours between 8AM to 10AM PST for nothing other than to enjoy the live blogs from a variety of sources and to read about the post-event thoughts.

It's likely I'll get nothing done for the rest of the day as I chatted excitedly with friends about what we've seen or be disappointed by what we don't hear.

I wonder, on a macroeconomic scale, if Apple events have an impact on loss of productivity.

8 Hrs Until iPhone-Verizon Event; Pass On That $49 iPhone 3GS, Now, Thank Me

ATT lowered their price on the iPhone 3GS and Apple followed with their own price drop today. And no, it's not a competition between Apple and ATT. Rather, it's likely a concession to ATT from Steve Jobs' softening heart (dude's become a wuss of late). Or it could be a previous contractually agreed upon move.

Regardless the intention of this 50% price cut, don't get it. You'll thank me for this.

Here's Why.

The iPhone 3GS was a leap and bound ahead of the iPhone 3G. It was a spectacularly more powerful device and it really bought serious gaming into the iOS ecosystem. Not only that, it was a very strong device with a very long battery life when used moderately.

However, all those praises I just lavished on the 3GS means nothing now that it has been eclipsed by the iPhone 4. And who knows what'll happen in two or three weeks or months. Apple might time it right and lower the price on the iPhone 4 (say by $50 to bring the 16GB model down to $149) when those new phones from running on Android and dual-core chips from the just ended CES finally goes on sale.

And we know for sure that when the iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4G) goes on sale in June, the current iPhone 4 will sit nice and pretty at $99.

Back to the 3GS. Even if Apple doesn't lower the price for the iPhone 4 until June, the $150 will seem like nothing as you happily enjoy all the features of iOS 4 as it was mean to. And thought I have only the latest generation iPod touch and not the iPhone 4, I know what I am talking about.

The speed alone is well worth the $150 premium.

Having said that, if you must get the 3GS, I can say it is without a doubt, the second best mobile device out there. You won't be disappointed, especially if you compare it to the other phones on the market. Just make sure you're not comparing it to the iPhone 4.

10 Hours Away from iPhone-Verizon Event - Expectation of a CDMA Version May Mute Subscriber Response

One of the most amazing thing about the average Joe mobile warrior today is how informed we are.  This includes the busy doctor, the throng of soccer moms, and my mom who is a grandmother, business woman, and who's English is okay but no what I consider spectacular.  And of these folks know about the iPhone coming to Verizon, you can bet they also know what network it'll run on.

That's exactly what my mom e-mailed me about over the weekend.  She wanted to know if the Verizon iPhone would run on the CDMA network only or on both the CDMA and LTE network.  Yup, she knew the difference.  And if this grandmother knows this distinction, so do other folks with better English able to go on the Web and do their own research.

See, these days, we're all pretty tech savvy.  Having said that, my mom said she'll only get it if this is a LTE iPhone.  AndI get the feeling that is what a lot of folks are wonder too.  Some might not care.  They just want an iPhone that does not require signing up with ATT for two years.

I kinda of agree with Mom here.  I don't reckon I'm gonna be okay with the CDMA version and I'll probably wait until the next big release from Apple in June.  I don't know if it'll be the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 4G, being that it is a LTE version.  

So I think the response will be a bit muted until then.  Oh, Apple will still move millions of CDMA iPhones but I am more cautious about those optimistic 10-12 millions that Apple is expected to sell just through Verizon alone that Wall Street is expecting.

Now, if Apple surprises me with a T-Mobile version capable of HSPA+ connection, we'll get four of them right away.

BCS Game Not Watchable On The iPhone or iPad

I am watching the BCS game between Auburn and Oregon on the MacBook. And while I marvel at the ability to do that, I lament the fact that I cannot do it on my iOS devices.

Why is that, EPSN? Why is that, Disney? Steve, why not?

Hopefully, next year, I will be able to do that with my iPad 2 while I FaceTime with a buddy of mind who is a huge college football fan.


-- Post From My iPad

Ahead of iPhone Launch, Trash Talking Between ATT And Verizon, Android Deals Coming

We are less than twelve hours from Verizon officially introduce the iPhone on its network and something funny has happened. ATT and Verizon have started getting into it on Twitter.

This isn't just trashing talking. This is a new form of psychological warfare for the dollars and minds of the mobile warriors.

First of all, I don't see many of us coming to the aid of either of these wireless providers. After all, for too long have they tormented us with stupid fees, limitations, and anti-innovative schemes. Second, some of the stuff they say about each other are truth, especially all the negative stuff because we have been saying them for years.

Now, one of the things that we can expect from iPhone on both two of the largest networks is that for anyone else who doesn't care about the iPhone, you're potentially looking at great deals.

Anyone competing with the iPhone can expect deals in this young year should the iPhone uptake at Verizon be as huge as it has been at ATT. I can see handset makers from Motorola to HTC to Samsung doing deals to maintain momentum they carried over from 2010.

And for those rumored not to get the iPhone, such as Sprint and T-Mobile, they will be looking to protect their subscribers.

Anyway, we will have some better idea tomorrow at 8AM PST when Verizon makes it official and we know what Apple and its newest mobile partner has up their sleeves. A week or so later, we can see their competitors respond in kind.

I love competition!

More at Techcrunch.


-- Post From My iPad

Apple Selling iPhones on Verizon May Be Good For Google

I was going to say that having the iPhone on Verizon is a good thing for Google largely.  Why would that be?  Would it not mean that there will be less Android phones like the Droid or the Galaxy devices sold to run on Verizon's network?

Here's why it's good but it could be turn bad really quickly.

Right now, some of Android devices being sold by Verizon are using Bing (including the Fascinate) as the default search engine.  Meanwhile, as far as we know, the iPhone's default search engine is still Google.  And while on the surface, Google wants Android sales to continue to go up or hold its own against the iPhone, there is no revenue going to Google if users are searching via Bing on Android.

So, selling less Android devices but more iPhones on Verizon might be a good thing for Google.

Unless one or more of the following happens.

Apple has a contract with Microsoft to use Bing as the default search engine for iPhones running on Verizon.  

Second, Apple plans to bypass mobile search and use Siri as the default search gateway for just about everything.  After all there was a reason why Apple spent $200 million to buy Siri to begin with.

And I wholeheartedly believe that Apple will try to disrupt traditional search in a big way.  And not just on mobile.

A third but much more unlikely scenario is that Microsoft pays Apple to rid the iPhone of Google entirely.  That, like Apple's Siri plan, would definitely hurt Google big time in the long run  And this may be something that Steve Jobs is quite open to if there are enough trucks in the world to move all that money to Cupertino from Redmond.

iPhone Pricing: 3GS Lower, Wonder If More Is In Store From Apple And Verizon Tomorrow

Just today, I learned that Apple has lowered the price of the 18 months old iPhone 3GS to $50.  So this begs the question why and what will fill the $100 price point.

We can easily speculate that the iPhone 3GS isn't sell well at $100 compared to the $200 iPhone 4 so lowering the price of the 3GS to $50 makes it more palpable for those looking for an iPhone but aren't willing to go into the $200 range.  And with a $150 gap between the iPhone 4 and the 3GS, it makes it an easier choice to make.

But what will sit at the $100 price point?  It is hard for me to fathom Apple leaving it wide open for Android or anyone else on the market.  And while Apple might see fit to lower the price of the 16GB iPhone 4 to $150 to reestablish the $100 gap between the 3GS and the iPhone 4, I doubt that will happen.

So, I am going to look into my transdimensional pool and travel into another universe where anything is possible.  

First, Apple lowers the price of the iPhone by $50.  Makes sense.  This will put a lot of pressure on its competitors.  And between the Samsung Galaxy S at $200 or an iPhone, its easy to go with the iPhone $50 cheaper.

Second, Apple lowers the price of the iPhone 4 by $100 to get the iPhone into the $100 price range.  This will hurt the market of its competitors big time. And I think this is a very likely scenario.  In any kind of contractual agreements, there are no longer exclusive agreements with Apple which may allow ATT to buy iPhones at a lower price.  

Between the $50 or $100 price drop scenario, I think the $100 is far likelier to happen.  

A third unlikely scenario is the launch of a new iPhone model sitting at the top.  Maybe Apple will surprise us with an LTE iPhone that commands a premium with 32 GB of storage, which would give Apple reason to lower the price of the iPhone 4 to $100 or $150.  Any number of new features would enable Apple to do make this move.  I can see folks willing to pay a premium for the fabled white iPhone or one with NFC capability.

What is more likely is that lowering the iPhone 3GS to $50 provides ATT with the coverage and competitive edge it needs to convince new users and some upgraders to stay with it using the 3GS as bait.  

However, Steve Jobs goes to NYC just to say "you can now buy the iPhone to run on Verizon" seems a bit much.  Perhaps he's there to clarify his previous statements disparaging the CDMA technology or unveil iPhone 4G.