T-Mobile boss takes shots at Amazon ahead of “mystery” announcement
Jun 17, 2014, 6:46 PM | Updated: 6:52 pm
T-Mobile CEO John Legere pulled no punches in blasting Amazon's reported deal with AT&T for its new smartphone set to be unveiled Wednesday. (AP file)
(AP file)
The CEO of Bellevue-based T-Mobile is taking shots across Lake Washington at Amazon over reports the company has tabbed AT&T to be the exclusive carrier for the Seattle company’s new smartphone to be unveiled at a “mystery announcement” Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal broke the news Tuesday that AT&T would be the only carrier for the phone, in a deal similar to when Apple sold the iPhone exclusively through AT&T for the first few years.
But outspoken T-Mobile CEO John Legere – who’s made a name for himself by being brash and taking direct aim at his competitors – made clear what he thinks of the deal in a series of rants on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
Really, @Amazon? What happened to home-town pride? http://t.co/VBbkttgGwC
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) June 17, 2014
Amazon’s deal makes sense in many ways, since the phone giant boasts far more customers than T-Mobile. But Legere makes clear he doesn’t think bigger is better.
When #big (@ATT) and #bigger (@Amazon) get together, the industry feels a whole lot smaller.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) June 17, 2014
Legere also took shots at the failed HTC First, an AT&T exclusive that quickly tanked soon after its introduction as the first and only Facebook-centric phone.
Let's hope @amazon doesn't fall victim to the @att curse that is the facebook phone. #onemonth
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) June 17, 2014
Legere is likely to lob a few more grenades at Amazon and founder Jeff Bezos Wednesday night. The company moved a previously scheduled press event from Los Angeles to Seattle after Amazon announced its big “mystery” announcement event for the same day. There’s no word what Legere has up his sleeve, but he’ll have plenty of hometown star power with Macklemore performing at the event.
