- Two interesting tidbits popped up this week that highlighted Apple's potentially uneasy relationship with the phone companies it relies on to provide service and sales for the iPhone.
- First a report, that AT&T denies, that its employees have been instructed to push Android phones to customers in place of iPhones.
- Secondly, an experience of that happening (though not with any hint of corporate policy) at a Verizon store, too.
- Apple's relationship with the carriers is perpetually strained because iPhone users consume more data and Apple's business practices with the iPhone put the power in the relationship in Cupertino's hands, rather than in the carriers'. This won't matter as long the iPhone is a dominant driver of sales and new customers for the carriers, but should the iPhone slip from its current lofty perch, Apple beware.
- In other carrier-related news, the FCC this week fined Verizon US$1.25 million for blocking access to third-party tethering apps on 4G LTE phones that allowed users to get around Verizon's $20/month tethering service. Since the move is limited only to 4G LTE phones, it doesn't apply to iPhone users--yet. Wait for the iPhone 5 and it may.
- Apple suffered a web-services outage on Tuesday. For a number of hours, iCloud email, and the iTunes and App Stores, were unreachable for many people. Not a long outage, but a reminder of what can happen with our data being more and more in the cloud.
- Two new options in the world of streaming video hit the Apple ecosystem this week. First, and most welcome, is the arrival of Hulu Plus for the Apple TV. For iPad users, the Amazon Instant Video app (Download at iTunes) is also now available.
iPod Minis: Carrier Troubles?, iOutages, New Streaming Video Options
By Sam Costello, About.com GuideAugust 2, 2012
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