So there is a big deal happening today. Word on the intertubes is that the Verizon version of the iPhone is announced today. Is this a big deal? Yes. Is it a really big deal? No. If this was a really big deal Apple would be doing the announcing, not Verizon.

Sure there are the ATT haters out there. Some of them want iPhones, but most who do probably already have an Android phone. All those people who don’t like ATT but have switched just for an iPhone are mostly still under contract, so ATT isn’t going to loose millions of customers today, they will trickle out. My guess is that they will retain many of them, but there will still be some losses.

Verizon will be getting an iPhone4 that is compatible with their network system, but the problem is that they might not be able to support data and voice to your phone at the same time (ATT can). The iPhone broke apart the model for mobile phones and plans when it was released. Apple had the power as a handset maker, and ATT had to give up some of it’s control. Verizon had the option way back when, but passed. Bad move.

Am I going to switch? No. I have had Cingular, now ATT Wireless for almost 10 years now. I haven’t had any beefs with them, or issues with dropped calls. My only complaint is that some cities don’t have 3G, so when I travel (which isn’t often) I don’t have super fast data speeds. If I lived in KZoo or parts of the UP where Verizion has 3G, but ATT doesn’t then I would consider switching. There are also people who already have Verizon and have been waiting for an iPhone, they are going to jump on it. Good for them. Overall this means that the carriers will have less power over us, and hopefully prices will lower as their choke hold loosens. If ATT becomes a carrier with fewer users, maybe I will get better speeds. Who knows?

If you want a good article about the origins of the iPhone check this out.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that this will also likely cut down the number of Android phones Verizon sells. I have talked to many people who had Verizon and “settled” for an Android phone because the iPhone was ATT only. NPR also has an article claiming that Verizon will steal 2 of the 20 million ATT iPhone subscribers.