Consequence for Android OS due to AT&T buying Tmobile?

[ew915]

I'm just wondering what will happen to android, now that Tmobile is bought by AT&T probably means that there won't be a release of a new phone anytime soon and once the merger completes the iphone is going to be available in both sides of CDMA and GSM.
What will happen to android? will it become now the budget choice for smart phone?

 

[zerocool84]

Of course not. Android is #1 in the world, it'd be dumb for carriers not to support it. They've always had high end and low-end.

 

[ew915]

Of course not. Android is #1 in the world, it'd be dumb for carriers not to support it. They've always had high end and low-end.

not so sure iOS will be available to more people and things can turn around if apple releases a cheaper phone.

 

[NutBucket]

Apple does have a cheaper phone....go to your local store and ask for a 3GS!

 

[vshah]

i'm worried about what will eventually happen to my no questions asked tethering on tmobile.

 

[ponyo]

i'm worried about what will eventually happen to my no questions asked tethering on tmobile.

Tethering is not free on T-Mobile. They charge additional $15 a month for official support. http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/11/12/t-mobile-unveils-official-tethering-plan-charges-15-for-something-root-users-have-been-enjoying-for-free-all-along/

That said as long as you dont abuse it, you can fly under the radar. Phones like Nexus One, Nexus S, and the Vibrant have wireless hotspot built in and enabled in the OS. You dont even need to root with the above phones.

 

[herkulease]

I doubt anything will happen. ATT started having more Android phones when they lost the iphone exclusivity granted they still lock them down like crazy.

Android isn't being thrown aside on Verizon either when they got the iphone and they have budget and high end android phones.

so android will be fine.

 

[zerocool84]

not so sure iOS will be available to more people and things can turn around if apple releases a cheaper phone.

iOS has always been available on multiple carriers everywhere else in the world and Android has been obviously doing the best of everyone there as well.

 

[boomhower]

Nothing will happen. Android is still a very viable OS. Not everyone wants an iPhone. Not everyone wants iOS. After a few years people want something different. There is a market out there for other phones.

 

[vshah]

Tethering is not free on T-Mobile. They charge additional $15 a month for official support. http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/1...-users-have-been-enjoying-for-free-all-along/

That said as long as you dont abuse it, you can fly under the radar. Phones like Nexus One, Nexus S, and the Vibrant have wireless hotspot built in and enabled in the OS. You dont even need to root with the above phones.

exactly, i tether on t-mobile without them saying anything. i don't want that to change

 

[runawayprisoner]

The situation shouldn't change much as it is today. Probably AT&T reception issues would be almost ironed out, and AT&T will get more phones in, so more choices for customers.

But until the merge actually happens, which is more than a whole 12 months away, you won't likely see any immediate effect. And it's unclear whether AT&T will leave T-Mobile as a separate entity or absorb it completely.

If AT&T leaves T-Mobile as a separate entity, which is totally understandable given that absorption would be quite a financial and restructure nightmare, then nothing would change much. Maybe T-Mobile and AT&T will overlap less in their services and rate plans.

If AT&T absorbs T-Mobile completely, which means T-Mobile all over the world (mostly in Europe) will be AT&T, then that's implication that the next iPhone on AT&T will be an unlocked or world phone version that can be used on any GSM network. That along with boosted reception and service performance will give Verizon quite a run for its money. For Android, it'll mean quite a competition as the iPhone's biggest obstacle right now is its carrier-locked nature in a number of markets. But aside from that, it shouldn't have any impact on Android.

What would have an impact on Android would be if Apple suddenly comes out and drops the iPhone price down, or introduce a new phone at a lower price point. But that's for another discussion. The AT&T and T-Mobile shouldn't have any large impact on any mobile OS aside from implication that there may be hardware changes abound for future phones to cope with both networks at the same time.

Of course not. Android is #1 in the world, it'd be dumb for carriers not to support it. They've always had high end and low-end.

Whether Android is #1 in the world is highly debatable since we have no concrete worldwide data to base any conclusion on.

Saying Android has the most marketshare in mobile OS in the U.S. is more likely to be true.

 

[smartpatrol]

If AT&T absorbs T-Mobile completely, which means T-Mobile all over the world (mostly in Europe) will be AT&T, then that's implication that the next iPhone on AT&T will be an unlocked or world phone version that can be used on any GSM network.

AT&T is only buying T-Mobile USA.

Anyway, AT&T has iPhone, arguably the best Android phone (Atrix 4G), and the best WP7 phone (Samsung Focus). There are plenty of reasons to dislike AT&T, but poor selection of phones definitely isn't one of them.

 

[Pliablemoose]

AT&T is only buying T-Mobile USA.

Anyway, AT&T has iPhone, arguably the best Android phone (Atrix 4G), and the best WP7 phone (Samsung Focus). There are plenty of reasons to dislike AT&T, but poor selection of phones definitely isn't one of them.

Yep, DT is massive, and TMobile USA is the US branch, DT already has the iPhone, and has had it since 2007.

http://www.t-mobile.de/iphone/

 

[runawayprisoner]

My bad. I didn't read USA.

 

[theeedude]

Last thing AT&T wants is to let any one handset manufacturer become too powerful. It wants to share as little profit as possible with those guys. So divide and conquer is the strategy, and Android fits into it pretty well thus far.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Hmmm, how much do you want to bet AT&T included tower/frequency sharing TMobile's towers almost immediately and that they'll use them for the HSPA that the new Qualcomm chip in the iP4?

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ses_world_mode_mdm6600_qualcomm_baseband.html

The battery issues with Verizon's LTE will keep the iP5 off their new network for at least a year, and the high speed solution is already in the iP4, just not implemented, yet... I'll bet we see it in full use in the iP5 this year.

ATT needs a compelling reason for iPhone users to stay with them as their contracts expire, this will do it.

 

[Deeko]

I don't see this negatively impacting Android. Once it became apparent that they were losing iPhone exclusivity, AT&T definitely started getting more chummy with Android and WP7. I actually was surprised - a week or two ago, I was in an AT&T store, and they had big signs/displays for Android, WP7, and Blackberry...none for the iPhone.

 

[v8envy]

As a satisfied user of a T-Mobile MVNO (SimpleMobile) I'm a bit horrified by this. Yes, I know it'll take time for the purchase and assimilation.

But I can't help wondering if I'll still have a BYO device prepaid $60/month no crap fees 'unlimited' talk, text & data plan available two years from now.

What does this have to do with Android? Well, android is a popular OS for do-it-yourself bargain hunters. It's a lot easier to sell the wife on an android vs iphone when the possible payoff is saving a few hundred $ a year. When the difference is $50-150 upfront cost it's going to be a lot harder. So yes, I see iOS winning and Android losing as an outcome.

 

[s44]

I don't see this negatively impacting Android. Once it became apparent that they were losing iPhone exclusivity, AT&T definitely started getting more chummy with Android and WP7.

And yet they still zap non-iPhone HSUPA for no reason. Even on their HSPA+ lineup.

 

[Bman123]

AT&T is only buying T-Mobile USA.

Anyway, AT&T has iPhone, arguably the best Android phone (Atrix 4G), and the best WP7 phone (Samsung Focus). There are plenty of reasons to dislike AT&T, but poor selection of phones definitely isn't one of them.

Yeah they have good phones

 

[Deeko]

And yet they still zap non-iPhone HSUPA for no reason. Even on their HSPA+ lineup.

Maybe its just me, but I really think people make a bigger deal out of this than they should.

 

[s44]

Maybe its just me, but I really think people make a bigger deal out of this than they should.

There's not much practical effect, which makes it stand out even more as an insult.

 

[Sheep]

Like others have noted, I don't foresee anything happening to Android if this merger goes through.

T-Mobile USA customers, OTOH, will be completely boned when their current contracts run out if the merger goes through.

 

[Kanalua]

Yeah, as a current T-Mo customer, I'm looking at switching to another carrier when my contract is up (or earlier if I can get out of it). knowing that T-Mo 3g phones will be useless if the merger goes through really limits what options I have to upgrade my phone for the next two years.

 

[ibex333]

I think it's great that AT&T bought T-Mobile.

ATT's customer service was pretty bad - Tmo's service was awesome
ATT's reception was bad, Tmo's was HORRIBLE.
Tmo had good phones, ATT had no good phones.

After a merger, hopefully we will get something like this.... Exceptional customer service, poor(note, no longer horrible or bad) reception, and good phone selection. ; )

Off course because of the GSM monopoly prices may increase. But hopefully not while Verizon's still kicking!

Personally, I just wish all cellphones disappeared from the face of this earth. The world would be a better place. Guaranteed!