With the much-heralded release of the Apple
In addition to news from Apple that the device will maintain a longer-than-expected battery life, AT&T's
Even the seemingly high $500 to $600 price tag and the requirement to use AT&T don't appear to be strong deterrents for consumers. The M:Metrics survey found that 67% of those who were most inclined to purchase an iPhone are currently subscribers of competing carriers.
With 62.2 million subscribers, AT&T has a slight edge over Verizon Wireless -- a joint venture between Verizon Communications
If it does, it will be picking up exactly the type of customers that wireless providers covet -- big spenders who won't shy away from paying for premium services. So even a moderate level of success should be able to move the needle in AT&T's numbers by early next year.
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Fool contributor Dave Mock moves the needle and tips the scale on a daily basis. He owns no shares of companies mentioned here. He is the author of The Qualcomm Equation. Vodafone is an Inside Value recommendation. Short and to the point, the Fool's disclosure policy believes less is more.