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iPhone on Verizon (bad journalism)

edited October 2010 in Everything Else
The lead line of this article:
AT&T Inc. is about to lose its lock on the iPhone.

And then, the rest was just painful. Here are my favorite phases of the article:

according to people familiar with the matter,
these people said.
according to one person familiar with the matter.
said people briefed on the phone.
A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment.
John Donovan, AT&T's chief technology officer, wouldn't comment
said the people briefed on the matter.
A spokesman for Pegatron declined to comment.
people familiar with the decisions have said.
people familiar with the discussion said at the time.
these people said.
one of the people briefed said.
according to a person familiar with the matter.
A spokeswoman for Qualcomm declined to comment.

My favourite sentence:
One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available, said one person familiar with the new iPhone plan.

Did anyone actually read that line? Two attributions to one comment, but neither of them ACTUALLY saying to whom they are attributing the comments.
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Comments

  • Yeah, I got fooled by this article. I was excited for a minute then George and Scott brought me back to reality.
  • ......
    edited October 2010
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  • tl;dr:

    I didn't hear no fat lady!
  • One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available
    I could have told you that. And guess what? HTC's next Verizon phone will be different from the Incredible, and the next BlackBerry will be different from the Torch.
  • One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available
    I could have told you that. And guess what? HTC's next Verizon phone will be different from the Incredible, and the next BlackBerry will be different from the Torch.
    Um... 3G and 3Gs were pretty much the same form factor.

    What got to me most about this is that it's just really, really, really shoddy writing. They could have said:

    Here's what various sources we can't disclose have told us, directly or indirectly:

    list
    list
    list

    These people declined to comment:

    Company A
    Company B

    Company C declined to comment but added this:

    Here's what some "men on the street who are no more or less informed than you" think:

    blah blah.


    But no, they've got to write as though they are trying to make it more... more... I don't even know what they are attempting with this utterly atrocious writing style.
  • Well, yes, this is atrocious journalism. But, you can legally buy and unlock any iPhone now, so the point is kind of moot.
  • One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available
    I could have told you that. And guess what? HTC's next Verizon phone will be different from the Incredible, and the next BlackBerry will be different from the Torch.
    Um... 3G and 3Gs were pretty much the same form factor.
    The point is that it's a very general statement (so general that it's meaningless), and it's probably something that even Apple isn't entirely sure about - They're not going to announce the iPhone 5 until next summer-ish.
    Well, yes, this is atrocious journalism. But, you can legally buy and unlock any iPhone now, so the point is kind of moot.
    Verizon uses CDMA and AT&T; uses GSM, so not really. Unlocking an iPhone basically lets you use T-Mobile and that's about it.
  • but unlocked iphones require a GSM network, and are not compatible with Verizon's current CDMA technology. If they ever get the phone though it will be LTE 4G (GSM based) which Verizon is rolling out
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    edited October 2010
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  • The iPhone/ATT marriage has been great for everyone.

    1) ATT gets new customers because of the magical Apple device.
    2) Non-ATT cell companies beef up their networks since they can't offer the magical Apple device, which benefits their customers.
    3) Android is able to enter the market in a major way as the alternative cool smart phone. Add in the open nature of the software and it is a double win!
    4) Apple gets to blame any failing of their magical device on ATT's network and everyone believes them!

    If the iPhone were available on every network when it debuted would android phones be where they are now? Would iPhones even be where they are now? Would the other companies have invested as heavily in their networks?

    The longer the exclusivity contract exists the better off everyone is.
  • but unlocked iphones require a GSM network, and are not compatible with Verizon's current CDMA technology.
    The actual news is that Apple appears to be modifying their iPhone to be compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. That's where Qualcomm comes in, but of course there's no official word on any of this.
  • The iPhone/ATT marriage has been great for everyone.
    Except for AT&T; non-iPhone subscribers who still want data plans. iPhone users make up for 90 percent of bandwidth usage there. The company has real spectrum concerns.
  • Is a "Bad Journalism" tag really necessary?
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    edited October 2010
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  • Quiet please Nineless, were conversing here.
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    edited October 2010
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  • Nineless, you're so moe.
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  • Aww, it's always nice to see young lovers in the throws if each other's passions. <3
  • OMG, kiss!
  • edited October 2010
    Is a "Bad Journalism" tag really necessary?
    Yes. Incredibly so.

    As a journalism major, I cringed reading that article. WSJ, I am disappoint. It's as if the two authors never looked at an AP style guide before. Shame on the authors, but even more shame on the editor. Clearly, he/she is not doing his/her job.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • edited October 2010
    Yes. Incredibly so.
    I mean't wouldn't it be a better idea to use bad as the default and note when good journalism is done?
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • edited October 2010
    Yes. Incredibly so.
    I mean't wouldn't it be a better idea to use bad as the default and note when good journalism is done?
    No way. Good journalism should be the default. Praise shouldn't be given for something that is supposed to happen anyway.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • Yes. Incredibly so.
    I mean't wouldn't it be a better idea to use bad as the default and note when good journalism is done?
    No way. Good journalism should be the default. Praise shouldn't be given for something that is supposed to happen anyway.
    I find your lack of pessimism disturbing.
  • Yes. Incredibly so.
    I mean't wouldn't it be a better idea to use bad as the default and note when good journalism is done?
    No way. Good journalism should be the default. Praise shouldn't be given for something that is supposed to happen anyway.
    I find your lack of pessimism disturbing.
    It's not a lack of pessimism. It's called standards.
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  • Not everyone can fill a "destroyed braincells" quota as easily as you, Nine.
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  • I'm honored.
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