We know that Apple has renegotiated the contract with AT&T at least once, probably twice. Either time gave Apple a way out of the exclusivity. AT&T must be ponying up some good terms to keep Apple exclusive, to the disappointment of the rest of us. One term we do know is the no-contract data rates for the iPad — pretty darn good.
Twice. The first negotiation was with Cingular and then with ATT two years ago to extend the original terms. BEFORE Droid came out. I think Apple just saw NO serious competition and thought they could play the profits game a little longer. Now, of course, everyone knows the Droid while inferior in construction and security is nevertheless taking huge market share by the virtual monopoly on Verizon. Apple just missed the prediction of Droid and how fast Google would bring it to bear. They will recover and dominate. But it will be 2011 and 2012 not 2010. Droid wins 1 out of the last 4 years. I can live with that.
Actually, we don't know that. We suspect that portions of the contract were re-negotiated... but not the overall contract, or the exclusivity portions, which may be non-negotiable. The iPad contract is not related to the iPhone contract... and was negotiated separately from the iPhone contract. I hear that Apple did approach other carriers on the iPad but the carriers (Verizon?) insisted on iPad and iPhone together, which is something Apple could not grant under their existing contract with AT&T. Apple refused AT&T an exclusive on the iPad, and also would not allow them the 2 year contract they so wanted to offer on the iPad, because Apple did not want to be locked in again.