This year, T-Mobile will have hooked up at least one million users with the G1, the first phone that comes with Android. There is another Android-based phone that has been confirmed, and Garmin is also planning on entering the market with its own Android-based phones in 2009. At some point in 2010, Apple's contract with AT&T Wireless will be over, so what will Apple do then?
The iPhone will start to get a real run for its money in 2009 once there are several decent phones which run Android. By 2010, Apple will have to start reevaluating its strategy for the iPhone, which is based around being exclusively through AT&T Wireless. The danger they face there is that Motorola has also said that they are working on an Android-based phone, and Motorola has a solid relationship with Verizon, which has a much larger, more robust network than AT&T or T-Mobile.
Between 2010 and 2011, Apple is not going to have much of a choice when it comes to developing a relationship with Verizon. Fortunately for them, Verizon is going to be migrating its network to a technology endorsed by the GSM stakeholders, which should mean that it'll be a lot easier for Apple on the R&D side.
The iPhone will start to get a real run for its money in 2009 once there are several decent phones which run Android. By 2010, Apple will have to start reevaluating its strategy for the iPhone, which is based around being exclusively through AT&T Wireless. The danger they face there is that Motorola has also said that they are working on an Android-based phone, and Motorola has a solid relationship with Verizon, which has a much larger, more robust network than AT&T or T-Mobile.
Between 2010 and 2011, Apple is not going to have much of a choice when it comes to developing a relationship with Verizon. Fortunately for them, Verizon is going to be migrating its network to a technology endorsed by the GSM stakeholders, which should mean that it'll be a lot easier for Apple on the R&D side.
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