Apple controls its own destiny with the iPhone, a brutal reality that clearly must chafe at its carrier partners. But would a once-exclusive partner actually go so far as to instruct its salespeople to sell other smartphones over Cupertino's handset?
BGR is reporting that regional sales managers at AT&T "have been instructing store managers to pump the brakes on Apple's iPhone," instead steering potential customers toward more lucrative offerings such as Android devices or Nokia's Windows Phone-powered Lumia 900.
Needless to say, the report raised the ire of AT&T, who was quick to cry foul on BGR's "exclusive."
"The idea that we would steer any customer away from a particular device couldn’t be more farfetched," an AT&T spokesperson told BGR in a statement. "Our reps do what it takes to align customer needs with the best device for them. iPhone remains one of our most popular devices, which doesn’t happen by steering people away from it. Our reps are encouraged to try all devices so they are more knowledgeable on our industry-leading smartphone lineup."
Seems reasonable, but the BGR report could throw a spotlight on a real problem Apple may face as its iconic device begins to age: What happens when salespeople and customers tire of the iPhone?
Consumers are a fickle beast and their tastes change rapidly, so whether the report is true or not, Apple may have cause for concern -- especially with other reports of similar activity happening at rival carrier Verizon Wireless. (See section four.)
Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter
Lydilove
August 07, 2012 at 10:20am
In the ATT store in the concourse of Rockefeller Center in NY and overheard a sales man say to a customer that the iPhone is not a very good phone and recommended against buying it. I was there to upgrade my phone and when ANOTHER sales rep told be to upgrade to an phone brand i was pretty up set. I said that I had iPhones since the Apple released it's first phone and the "problems" these sales persons were describing did not exist as far as my experience went.
I told the other customer not to listen to them. I left the store and bought my phone over the ATT website. it was really upsetting.
bumpgalletta
August 02, 2012 at 10:32am
This is true (kinda). Yesterday while i was upgrading my wife's iPhone, the AT&T worker tried to talk me out of waiting myself for the new iphone in the next couple of months. Said it wasn't happening anytime soon.
