[citation][nom]chripuck[/nom]And let me add to my previous comment
on't come back with the "well they don't have as many contracts so they'll have to lower their prices... competition man!" I say this because it doesn't pertain to any of their other phones that are cross platform.If we're going this far then I want Taco Bell to carry Coke because damnit I want it.[/citation]
Reality is, by giving every carrier the same products, you create more competition that benefits the end user. Let's say you really like the iPhone. You wouldn't have to buy it from AT&T. You can go to AT&T and Verizon for instance and ask, "Why should I buy my iPhone from you?" They have to get competitive with rate plans, features, and phone prices in order to get you to buy the phone you can FROM THEM and not someone else.
I honestly expect that the FCC will find that these exclusive deals between phone companies and carriers are bad for us. I would expect them to overrule those contracts and require Apple for instance, to give up the iPhone elsewhere.
Frankly, I think it's in Apple's best interests to do so anyhow. AT&T isn't that great anyhow. Imagine the iPhone 3G on Verizon's network. That might make me change my plans to get the latest greatest Blackberry Storm when it comes out September.
So, yet again, there you have it. Now as a Verizon customer, Apple and Blackberry would be competing to sell me my next phone. So now you have network carriers competing for me, and the cell phone manufacturer as well.
Verizon wins for me as a carrier, simply because in my area their network is far superior to their competitors. Apple automatically loses because I simply cannot buy their phone.