For years now, AT&T has been the sole service provider for Apple’s coveted PDA, the iPhone. As of 11:06 a.m. EST today, that is no longer the case.
In a press conference this morning, Lowell McAdam, Verizon’s President and COO, made an announcement that in February 2011, the iPhone 4 will be available for Verizon customers.
“Today we’re partnering with a giant of the industry, and that’s Apple,” McAdam said. “Late in 2010 we started offering the iPad… today we are extremely grateful to announce that the iPhone 4 will be available early next month.”
Tim Cook, Apple’s COO, also commented on the new partnership at the press conference.
“I am incredibly happy, and I can tell you all [that] Apple is very very excited to bring the iPhone to Verizon’s customers,” Cook said.
Apple representative Dan Dee explained how ready Verizon is to launch the iPhone on their network.
“We’ve built our business on building the very best network, and now our customers have a choice for the iPhone 4 on the nation’s most reliable network,” Dee said. “We have advanced the capacity [of our network] and built margin into it. We’re ready for this launch.”
Dee also announced exactly when customers will be able to order their iPhones.
“On Feb. 3 our existing customers will have an opportunity to pre-order, and on Feb. 10, everyone will be able to order online, in stores or in Apple stores,” Dee said.
With the recent release of the new and improved iPhone 4, which includes features like FaceTime, HD video and a five-megapixel camera (on the front and back of the phone) consumers stuck in contracts with other companies have had to rely on playing with other people’s iPhones.
Now, students who might still be on their parent’s Verizon family plan will be able to play Angry Birds, Words with Friends and other games with their friends who already have iPhones.
Photo courtesy of engadget.com.