Verizon and Apple executives on Thursday again took the stage together to promote the new iPhone 12 lineup paired with capabilities of the carrier’s Ultrawideband 5G network, this time with a focus on enterprise.
At a virtual event Verizon Business CEO Tami Erwin introduced a new program with Apple called "5G Fleet Swap," which lets business customers trade in their entire current fleet of smartphones – from any carrier – and upgrade to any model of the iPhone 12 series for “no upfront cost” and zero to low cost per month, starting with the iPhone 12 mini.
“We know the acceleration to digital will only get faster. And now it’s easier than ever to put the power of the iPhone 12 into all of your employees’ hands. We have the best network, the best cloud partners and now the power of the iPhone to complement it all,” Erwin said.
Susan Prescott, who is responsible for Apple’s enterprise business also took the stage at Thursday’s event, touting features of the iPhone 12 models including the broad range of 5G spectrum band support and Verizon’s mmWave. She also called out software for a superior 5G performance, and work with infrastructure vendors globally for extensive testing, and high-level security that’s key for enterprise data.
“The possibilities for mobile transformation in business are extraordinary,” Prescott said.
When the iPhone 12 launched last month, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg took the stage with Apple’s Tim Cook.
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The event this week played to enterprises, with Erwin saying the ability to put 5G UWB in the hands of employees now “is not just an investment for growth, it’s what will set your future trajectory as technology continues to evolve.”
The event showcased videos from business users, including JigSpace, which used the iPhone 12 Pro model for AR experiences to help with training and maintenance on technical equipment, incorporating features like Apple’s built-in LiDAR scanner.
5G Indoors
Verizon also promoted 5G Indoors, to offer 5G to enterprises on factory floors, corporate offices, and other business environments.
Erwin said connectivity only one part of the equation, “our mobile edge compute platform is the rocket fuel that will drastically accelerate your business outcomes.” She added that Verizon is actively engaged with developers and pointed to partnerships with AWS Wavelength and Microsoft Azure to run low-latency applications, calling out security and reliability for enterprise.
5G technology, cloud capabilities and mobility from Verizon are helping build 21st century infrastructure that Erwin said “will shape our future” with the “potential to cause seismic changes within the enterprise community.”
Of course, millimeter wave spectrum was at the forefront, as an enabler for commercial and industrial users that want to tap 5G.
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When the carrier first rolled out 5G UWB service, peak download speeds in ideal conditions were 2 Gbps. Today, Erwin said Verizon’s mmWave 5G service can deliver up to 4 Gbps downloads in ideal conditions and upload speeds of up to 200 Mbps.
General Motors and Honeywell are among the first enterprise customers that will install Verizon’s 5G service indoors. Initial deployments include the Honeywell headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and General Motor’s Factory Zero at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center.
Verizon’s announcement said that installations at enterprise customers facilities “are a critical step in the process to deliver a commercial private 5G solution.”
Verizon previously announced it would utilize indoor 5G millimeter wave products from Corning and Samsung.