More on the iPhone backstory comes to light
There’s been a lot electronic ink spilled over why Apple and AT&T have stuck with each other for the past three years. Granted, nearly all of that noise came from users, analysts and the media, but the popular perception is that the two companies have privately been at war.
NetworkWorld reports that former AT&T Mobility CEO Stan Sigman was inducted into the Wireless History Foundation’s Wireless Hall of Fame. Thereupon, the write up offers a couple of interesting quotes from Sigman on the iPhone back story:
“Steve called me at home late one evening. We [AT&T] had just introduced a Motorola phone that had iTunes on it and Steve had a vision of doing more with the device than that.”
He goes on to add that, “Keep in mind when we first decided to come together and develop the iPhone, we didn’t have a prototype. Steve and I had not seen a phone — we just had confidence in our respective organizations that we could do this. It was a big gamble, but I had that much faith in Steve Jobs. He told me what he could do and I believed him, and history will show that was a good decision.”
Yes, Apple initially started talking up the iPhone with Cingular. However, after that carrier was acquired by Ma Bell, the iPhone became a collaboration with Sigman and AT&T well before the launch, starting back in 2005.
So, why have AT&T and Apple stuck together through three-plus turbulent years? A simple and perhaps difficult to grok reason is that they have history, including a strong personal history between corporate leaders that are both also visionaries.
Imagine that, loyalty among suits. Who would’ve thunk…
What’s your take?
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