Despite the widespread publicity for the release of the iPhone 4 for Verizon, and its subsequently meteoric yet expected rise to the top of Verizon's phone sales, recent reports and surveys of Verizon stores have shown that the competition has been ready and willing to step up. The HTC Thunderbolt, according to 28% of Verizon Stores, has been outselling the Verizon iPhone, a development that few saw. Most assumed that Apple's device would completely take over the mobile world once it was available to the widely regarded most reliable carrier. AT&T had a spotty reputation at best whereas Verizon, despite higher prices, always had the best service. But things aren't working out that way.
While 61% of stores have said that their sales are about equal and another 11% claim the iPhone is outselling the Thunderbolt, this does not look good for the iPhone. Its sales right now are still probably higher since it's sold in Best Buy and the Apple Store as well as Verizon stores but with all that initial publicity and the recent belief that the Windows Mobile 7 phone will eventually overtake it, for the first time in a while, Apple's mobile portion looks like it may be in some trouble. They won't have to circle the wagons just yet, but HTC, one company behind the immensely popular Droid, has launched yet another strong Android device with the Thunderbolt and we can't wait to see how this unexpectedly close battle shakes out.
