I would have to agree. From a Marketing standpoint, it seems like they would need a little time to get the campaign together, commercials shot, print designed and coordinated, and the positioning done to set the i760 as a competitor to the iPhone. Hopefully, Verizon tries to compete on handset price!

Actually I hope this thread dies tomorrow, as that would mean the i760 is out, but from what "Ethan" was hinting at, it sounded like an end of July thing...

Verizon hasn't been one to hype anything much before release. I personally thing Verizon is going to show two or three phones as suitable replacements for the iPhone and will release it as soon as they feel they can market it to those that were waiting to hear more information on the shortfalls of the iPhone.

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-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links

Yeah, thats true too. And they could also release a few phones that they think would be competition and see which one does the best. Then they could do a campaign blitz for that particular phone, positioning it against the iphone. Either way, it would have to be a pda device. I don't think the chocolate could compete, no matter how many cool colors it comes in.

MMMMMMMM.....Mint Chocolate.

Oh....sorry.

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Geckotek
http://geckotek.blogspot.com/

Does anyone know if the i760 with WM6 will have similar features to the Treo 700Wx? Specifically, Today screen contact lookup, hold, mute, and speakerphone all ready to use when in a call? I used various different 3rd party apps with the i730 and have to say the Treo phone usage is superior. Not plugging the Treo here...just want the same type of functionality with the i760.

Sorry to say those features are mostly Palm specific and were developed by them to include on the Windows Mobile version of the Treo. There may be 3rd party software to handle some of this, but they have complete access to Windows Mobile to do what they wanted to get Treos running Windows Mobile...

For what they do...they do it well. Thanks Cybrwulf.

From looking at all the developments in the last few days, Marketing stuff starting to show up on the Vzw website and the download section on Samsung and from what "E" sez, it sounds like were starting to get into that two week window before the launch..woo hoo...
So just how many birthdays are we going to celebrate that day...?
Mark

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Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.

If we're basing our i760 release dates around a marketing campaign, we're going in the wrong direction. We've already agreed that VZW is a service provider long before it is an equipment provider. We've (OK, I admit I usually just sit around and read what everybody else says ) gone on extensive tangents regarding our frustration with the way Verizon "dumbs down" their equipment, so that users are required to rely on "THE network". Those thoughts lead to couple points:

1) The i760 is not the iPhone killer. Of course there is going to be some crossover in interest among the two groups of users. However, the people who are stoked about the iPhone will, in the end, care less about service, more about the sleek style, and lots about how crazy cool the interface is. People who dig the i760 will typically demand excellent service, so we can use the data plan right to 4.9999999 GB and keep close to clients and other important phone calls, plus want easy access to phone features, and want to be able to manipulate the OS to the point that it might actually drive their car to work for them.

2) IMO VZW's iPhone killer is their service AND multiple products to choose from. They will continue to come out with some competitive phones, but I forecast Jobs continuing his intelligent marketing and product innovation for some time. We agree that this thread also defines a relatively small number of the users to whom Verizon is marketing. Verizon will win, not when it comes out with a decent looking i760 (but definitely not the sleek style of the iPhone) that's great for tech heads and other business uses, but when the general public is stoked about "service test drives" and a guy in a gray work jacket following you around with a couple hundred thousand people wherever you go. Then those excited people walk into a VZW store and find a great phone that suits their needs.

I'm thrilled about the possibilities for product innovation that the iPhone is going energize. However, people are going to buy the iPhone because they love IT. Relatively few are going to buy the i760 specifically because they love IT, but many are going to stay with VZW because they have many different appealing elements to offer.

Short story: VZW knows the i760 is not the iPhone killer. They won't delay this device for an advertising campaign. If VZW is "delaying" the i760, then they are doing it so that the device better fits into VZW's current business model.

crmealey

P.S. - the items in bold aren't that way because I think they are vital to the health of this thread, but because I recognize my posts are a little long , and I hope people can skim a little more easily due to the items in bold .

Besides those already mentioned, My birthday form back in March (2 will be celebrated as soon as this is released. My Anniversary (June) will also be celebrated when I find a cool new accessory.

Well, I think our marketing campaign speculation is coming from someone who is QUOTING verizon, so it is not like we are making this up. The i760 is certainly not as sexy as the iPhone, but for someone who wants verizon service, it will do the same things an iPhone does. I know quite a few people who would love to have an iPhone, but are not jumping ship because everyone they know has verizon service. Same with me. Even if I wanted to leave Verizon, I couldn't because I would lose the in calling, and my phone bill would go WAY up. So while the i760 is not an "iPhone killer", it certainly could be positioned as an alternative to the iPhone.

While I agree whole heartedly with most of what you said....

I disagree with this last statement. I honestly believe that VZW looked at their upcoming phones and picked what they thought were the most competetive against the iPhone. Ok, maybe they don't think it's the iPhone killer, but it and the Chocolates were the best bullets in their arsenal.

Somewhat sad, but I honestly believe that's the way it went down.

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Geckotek
http://geckotek.blogspot.com/

I agree. I think they want to capture a few sales from the buzz the iPhone created. If they have a viable alternative to the iPhone, they would certainly want to position and market it as such to keep current customers and attract those who couldn't decide between sexy phone and great service.

I think the smarter plan of attack would have been a pre-emptive release to keep some customers around and then a post-iPhone marketing blitz to get some of the fallout. I'd be willing to bet that just waiting around cost them a lot of customers.

Bad news for me is we have cut spending to nothing and I have several phones laying around not being used. It'll be a hard sell to spend the money to upgrade my phone. And just weeks ago I was upgrading left and right......now I'm starting to get pissed @ VZW for holding off.....their delay may mean I don't get one.

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Geckotek
http://geckotek.blogspot.com/

But if you want to catch people that are disenchanted with their iPhone purchases I think VZW's logic makes some sense. Imagine those that got the iPhone with the expectation that it would be a usable business PDA/phone only to find out its a glorified iPod with an built-in phone... May in the next rev it will fill that role but with the way it is now... it won't IMHO (check the iPhone forum for the list of limitations). Whereas the i760 is business PDAPhone that is being squarely marketed to the business users. Sure this whole discussion would have been moot if they would have released the i760 ON TIME!
Mark

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Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.

If this is the case, then it would be prudent for VZW to release their competive phones before iPhone owners are stuck w/ their phones for 2 years.

Not sure if AT&T has a 30-day or 15-day trial period.

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i760 VZW

Here is a new developement... someone at Hofo noticed this...

Unlike yesterday the old url now forwards you here...

Samsung i760

They look like they are actively working on their website for it now!

And I think marketing is in a panic so they grabbed the i760 and added V-Cast and Get it now to appeal to a wider audience......

Bad move on their part as now we are going to have many more non IT users using an OS that is not ready for iPhone level users.

Wait and you will see, there will be many more returns on this phone even without dangerous!

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VZW, It's 2009! Time to embrace technology, not suppress it. - oops too late I've moved on over to the iPhone w/ AT$T!

Have there been any reports/rumors regarding the Sprint version of this phone? I know VZW has 6 month exclusivity, so it will be a while before the Sprint version will see the light of day, but I was wondering if anyone heard whether or not Sprint will keep the CDMA/GSM dual radios or go with WiFi like VZW instead? I have an i830w and am anxiously waiting for the update! As soon as VZW releases theirs the countdown starts for me!

I thought that post might stir some people.

I'm very aware of the quote that you are referring to. It was a great thought except for a few things:

1) It was prefaced by, "I am beginning to think he is clueless and has just been making stuff up as he goes."

2) Multiple posts regarding that same rep's thoughts were questioning that rep's validity.

3) You agreed with me. Maybe, I wasn't clear, but that's what I'm saying - Verizon has built a business model that revolves around their network, which includes "in calling".

4) You've got to be kidding me when you say that the i760 does the same thing as the iPhone. Maybe the selling points that you are interested in cross over, but the iPhone has its crazy touchscreen, super sexy body, slick interface, great internet, blah blah blah blah blah. Geez, we could write a book about why these phones are different. I don't need to keep going, there are many before me who have posted why these phones are different.

Thinking about it again (especially after reading Mark's post), I think you may be right . I still don't see Verizon delaying for marketing, but it does make sense that they would see some of the features of the iPhone and try to make their "closest" product a better competitor. Terribly disappointing if that is the only reason for the delay, because I truly believe the units aren't competitors. And...for that reason, if you were to put a gun to my head, I still say that GIN and VCast and any other software that ties us to Verizon is being added for the purpose of tying us to Verizon's network more than making it an iPhone killer. Thanks for the reply.


As has been stated many times before, there's lots of thoughtful info out there, but we really won't know who was right or wrong until the phone is released. It'll be interesting to see who was right, and I'm sure that we'll all be just as quick to give kudos to those who were right as we were to retort against those we think are out to lunch.