iPhone 5 Release Date: Experts Assess Potential Winners Among iPhone Carriers

By Herbert Pinnock, Christian Post Reporter Monday, October 03, 2011

The speculation as to which of the top U.S. mobile carriers will benefit the most from the sale of the new iPhone 5 is entertaining to tech fans but it is the impetus behind the drive to achieve an amazingly profitable year for these companies.

AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, according to some experts, will have a sizable share of the iPhone 5 market, although each company will attract customers based on individual strengths.

According to ComScore, AT&T holds the overwhelming customer share of existing iPhones on the market, with 8.19 percent as of July, leaving a share of only 15.1 percent for Verizon.

Although Verizon's share of the market is lower, its customers give it high satisfaction rates. Earlier this year, ComScore also determined that over 76 percent of the company's smart phone users graded Verizon with a score of 8 or higher out 10, compared to 68 percent for other carriers.

Interestingly, among current non-Verizon iPhone users, almost a quarter of the pool of users said they would switch to another provider, which does bode well for Verizon in the future.

According to CNET, Sprint would strategically do well with iPhone 5 based on the fact that it offers an unlimited data plan, which offers the lowest price per megabyte than any other company.

Still, regardless of strategy or effort, experts agree that the one clear winner in the iPhone 5 marketplace will be Apple, which will gain market share from the sale of the item through these companies.