Today's mobile technology market is rife with competition, and the past week's headlines show that both Verizon and Apple are making big plays and taking large risks. But of the two mobile giants, who came out on top, and who had to make the biggest sacrifices? The release of the iPhone 6 saw a massive number of sales, but that might not be enough if customers aren't happy with their products. Here are some of the top headlines from the past week detailing where these two companies stand in relation to each other, and to mobile technology in general.
Even though the iPhone 6 was considered a large success when it was first released, it appears that the device sales are already losing steam. The iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus may have doubled the pre-sale figures that the iPhone 5 and its variants were able to rake in, sales began declining only 53 hours after the device was released and they have not recovered yet. Even though the decline is extremely slow, it could increase as more reports of bending devices and other dissatisfactions come in. Additionally, since so many of the sales were made day one, these figures could simply be an indicator that the initial rush is over and that the sales figures are beginning to stabilize.
However, there can be no denying that the device's operating system, iOS 8, is both powerful and influential. In fact, it is so influential that Skype has given its entire video communications platform a makeover. While the platform is still not adapted to fit the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus screen resolutions perfectly, the platform is far more user-friendly and takes full advantage of iOS 8 and its many features.
Meanwhile, Verizon Communications is considering selling its tower network by the end of this year, for the estimated price of around $6 billion. Even though this network of around 12,000 towers was once the most efficient way to connect mbile devices, modern wireless services are far more efficient and do not rely on these towers which are expensive to both maintain and deploy. As such, selling this network off would be an excellent way for the company to recoup value out of the network and apply the resources elsewhere.
Finally, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam is also hinting that Verizon could be rolling out a Mobile VoIP and video OTT solution as early as mid-2015. “I think over-the-top video is right around the corner,” he said at a recent investor conference with Goldman Sachs. “We've got the assets in place, and I don't feel we need an awful lot more.”
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