So, what happens when AT&T's iPhone-exclusivity expires, and Apple starts selling the device through a second U.S. carrier (Verizon)? First of all, nearly 17% of that carrier's customers would
upgrade to an iPhone, according to a research note from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty, citing an Alphawise U.S. consumer iPhone survey.
"There is substantial pent up iPhone demand
within the Verizon installed base as 16.8 percent of Verizon subscribers said they are 'very likely' to purchase an iPhone if offered on the Verizon Network," writes Huberty. "This 16.8 percent is
higher than AT&T subscriber's 14.6 percent extreme interest in the current AT&T iPhone ... and well above the overall iPhone extreme interest of 7.5 percent," Huberty adds. If survey takers stick to
their word, Verizon would stand to sell between seven million to eight million iPhones annually.