Applemania: Do carriers matter?

On paper, yes. AT&T is done with unlimited deals unless you're already in that contract. That means, for someone who hasn't bought an iPhone yet, there is less value in going with AT&T as a carrier.

Not that there's another choice, right? Perhaps. How many people are just waiting for Verizon to become a partner with Apple for the iPhone 4G? It may not happen next week or next month, but it's going to happen. Apple can justify by noting, as Steve Jobs has, that the iPhone's traffic has overloaded the nation's biggest carrier (AT&T). Why not offer multiple choices?

I like AT&T's rates and coverage hasn't been a major problem. It's not seamless; I lose connections more than I care for. But Verizon's terrific coverage on my wireless modem comes at a premium cost. Expensive.

My guess is that people will pay up for great service and connection while cutting back on other expenses like food and shelter. Okay, maybe not food or shelter, but they'll cut back to afford their precious iPhone and iPad costs. I have neither, but even my laptops and iMac are quite addicting, so the iPhone is probably 3x as cultish.