The iPhone is restricted to AT&T service only, because Apple made exclusivity agreements with AT&T. However, that agreement is expected to expire mid 2010. With the upcoming Apple Tablet the same question rises again: Will the Tablet be offered by AT&T only as welll?
According to a Broadpoint AmTech analyst, Apple plans to offer 3G wireless data networking on their Tablet with multiple providers. And Verizon is a “certainty”, the analyst says.
If the analyst is right then this means customers can choose from a number of mobile providers, like Verizon or AT&T or any other provider that sells the device. This allows Tablet users to check their email, browse their web, download App Store applications and more wherever there is 3G service.
If this is indeed Apple’s plan, then I think that’s a very good move. More people will buy the device because they can then choose their favorite provider for their Tablet’s data service. It’s a win win situation. And with all the other tablet computers coming out this year, there will be a huge competition between the different companies. Hopefully this means the Apple Tablet will not have such a high price tag.
This would mean that customers will be able to choose from a number of mobile providers for their Tablet’s data service when not near a Wi-Fi hotspot. This would allow Tablet users to browse the web, check their email, and more wherever there was 3G service. Such connectivity is taken for granted on mobile phones such as the iPhone, but is increasingly expected for other mobile devices.
