After reading all of the reviews of the iPhone 4, the major takeaways:

1. All agree it’s the best smartphone ever.
2. All agree that FaceTime is awesome.
3. The consensus on the battery life ranges from much improved to hugely improved.
4. The thing seems to be indestructible.
5. AT&T sucks.

The last point is rather humorous. At least 2 of the 5 reviews (WSJ and Boing Boing) brutally rip apart AT&T. The others have nothing nice to say. 

I’m seriously starting to wonder if it’s not in AT&T’s best interest to move on from iPhone exclusivity. It’s gotten to the point now where it’s not at all odd to see major publications take a shit on their brand in a high-profile review.

After reading all the complaints for the past 3 years, I can’t believe anyone would actually sign up for AT&T unless they were doing so just so they could get an iPhone. AT&T’s inability to handle the device has poisoned the entire well.

As soon as the exclusivity ends and people start jumping ship to the other carriers, I bet AT&T sees a major upswing in network reliability. For three years now they’ve proven that they can’t (or won’t) take the steps to fix the network. So the only option is to have the users fix it for them — by leaving, and reducing the strain.

But it may not matter at that point.

When the iPhone exclusivity ends — and it will end — they’re going to be left with one of the most destroyed brand names in history at this rate.

Naturally, AT&T doesn’t want to lose paying customers (and the new ones that will sign up thanks to the new iPhone), but they may be selling off the future to reap the rewards in the present.

See the rock? See the hard place? That’s AT&T smack dab in the middle. Feel free to take a shit on them. Everyone else is.