Market Realist:

Apple recently broke a noteworthy silence after nearly four years, and the move it’s making now appears to have Alphabet’s Google in the crosshairs.

Last month, Apple added Virgin Mobile USA to the list of its US (SPY) carrier partners. As part of the deal, Virgin and Apple are throwing a one-year party in the form of steep discounts for their customers. Any customer who purchases a new or refurbished iPhone from either Apple or Virgin gets the opportunity to enjoy services on Virgin’s network for only $1 for a year. After that introductory offer, customers will normally pay $50 a month for Virgin’s network service.

But the relationship between Apple and Virgin comes with potential pain for Google. The deal is part of a broader plan that will see Virgin drop support for Android phones on its network and instead become an iPhone-only carrier.

Obviously, “coup attempt” is ridiculous hyperbole (ironic from a web site called “Market Realist”) but definitely a shot across the bow.