[gcianc]

ATT will be losing iPhone exclusivity by Summer 2010 by all reports including ATT (they purchased exclusivity from launch thru summer 2009 then extended it a year by most reports).

Apple screwed up extending another year... opening a door for Droid and getting nothing but bad press for ATT/network issues. They undervalued themselves like the young playing signing a bad contract for easy money.

iPhone could (and probably will) lose exclusivity ASAP but remain off Verizon indefinitely. There are too many variables, one of the most importance is what Verizon agrees per phone to pay Apple. Droid (and WM7 this xmas) showed the world iPhone is a LOT overhyped and other phones sell too. iTunes/phone market competes with Verizon's marketplace, vcast, etc.

Apple can soon sell the current iPhone "unlocked" to work on any GSM networks in the USA. That would also fend off google... a necessary plan imho as iPhone has major competition with Android and WM7 (nevermind Blackberry).

There is one wild card... the iTablet due tomrrow. IF that requires (or supports) 3G then at ~$1k that device would be nuts to lock out Verizon users (home & corporate). $299 dell Mini's support GSM or CDMA add-in chips so you'd have to think apple planned the table for worldwide (quad band) 3G. A Verizon iTablet would obviously break open the door for cross-promotions with a new summer 2010 iPhone with CDMA support for Verizon (and thus Sprint).