They only get that advantage because they are exclusive with ATT. And being exclusive with ATT could be a disadvantage. Limited sales with a higher premium or widespread sales with a lower margin...
How many iphones would they have sold (Apple & ATT) if the subsidized price of the iPhone was $350 and all other smartphones peaked at $200?
I got my 9700 for free through Amazon, that promotion ran for months since launch.
But I had to switch to T-Mobile due to network performance. AT&T pays Apple instead of investing in their awful network.
It's about the exclusivity. That's why there hasn't been a Verizon iPhone yet. Verizon would have to share more of its revenue or have a separate, more expensive plan just for the iPhone to sell it.
The nice thing with the BlackBerry is that it's available on more than one carrier. So buy from the carrier with the best plan. My TMO 9700 is a lot cheaper, purchase price and monthly plan included, when tallied up over two years.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com