iPhone: Does Verizon Even Want It?

Verizon has increased its smartphone marketshare dramatically even without Apple’s iPhone, which is paired with AT&T. Verizon’s share of that market is now 26 percent, up from 20 percent less than two years ago, and its partnership with Google is proving it doesn’t need Steve Jobs' creation. Thursday, Verizon starts selling Droid X, a smartphone that uses Google’s Android and could pose a tough challenge to the iPhone. AT&T’s network struggles to keep up with demands of iPhone users, angering customers (its market share dropped to 40 percent from 45 percent). Apple and AT&T signed an exclusive five-year deal before the iPhone’s debut. Understanding the threat, Verizon sought to work with Google, with which it had had an antagonistic relationship. It now has six phones running Android.