Submitted by Bob Bhatnagar on
As pressure mounts before the Apple media event next week, reports are flying around the net about exactly what Apple will announce in San Francisco on Wednesday. Rumors of negotiations between Verizon Wireless and Apple have surfaced before, however they've picked up new steam.
Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek is the latest voice to weigh in on a Verizon iPhone deal, and he fully expects a Verizon 4G iPhone to support CDMA this coming June. Misek believes this announcement will come next week along with the launch of Apple's yet to be seen tablet computing device.
Barron's also reports that Misek sees a future iPhone 4GS model supporting the next generation Verizon and AT&T network known as LTE as early as June 2011. This would make it possible for one iPhone to be offered by several different competing wireless carriers.
Misek expects the tablet and Verizon announcements to accompany an iPhone OS 4.0 unveiling at the event. Other reports have indicated that the Apple tablet will run iPhone OS 4.0 and initially be available on either Verizon's or AT&T's 3G wireless networks. Due to competing network technologies, this requires Apple to build two different versions of the tablet.
Apple may be negotiating terms with wireless carriers to subsidize the price of the device for consumers in exchange for a wireless data contract, similar to current iPhone pricing.
Comments
Remo replied on Permalink
I hope that all the "analysts," who have been completely wrong about everything Apple, are right this time. Then all the whinny Verizon lovers can go to Verizon and the beefed up AT&T network will no longer be flooded with iPhone data and I'll get the benefit of less network traffic for my iPhone. Meanwhile, the whinny anti-AT&T losers who all head to Verizon will wipe out that slower network with all the iPhone data traffic and the system collapse will be epic...and hilarious.
Anonymous replied on Permalink
"whinny"... like horses?
well i suppose being a "whinny anti-AT&T loser" is better than being the part of the horse you are!
Anonymous replied on Permalink
You must work for at&t
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Ur outrageous in ur assesment
Rich replied on Permalink
The supposed new iPhone 4G is to have the new Qualcom chip with CDMA/GSM and with the announcement of the iPad or what have you (which is reportedly for CDMA/GSM as well) will both be announced this month for a scheduled release in June. That would be my prediction so pay me the big bucks... I'm a frickin' analyst!
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Jeez man!
Boys, boys that's enough fighting now!
There is nothing wrong with Both networks having the iphone, so play nice!
*8-)
Vito Asaro replied on Permalink
APPLE should allow its exclusivity contract to lapse in mid-2010 and open the iPhone production to Verizon.
AT&T's network is saturated and can barely support their current 3G (iPhone) customer base. The commericals they're airing featuring Luke Wilson who attempts to illustrate AT&T's wide-sweeping coverage are misleading because they feature AT&T's "Edge network" coverage, which is competitive with Verizon, but when it comes to their 3G coverage they are only approximately 20% of Verizon's 3G coverage.
Competition breeds better service and pricing: Many people are tied to AT&T simply because of the iPhone, and customer loyalty shifts quickly in the mobile phone market with the greater priorities being signal (coverage), pricing, and customer service. AT&T is able to compete in the price factor, but increasing customer complaints in the last 18 months show that their network is strained, and that their customer support is severly lacking. By providing an open market for the iPhone, mobile phone plan pricing will remain competitive, network coverage and support will (or should) be more innovative, and customer support will strive to maintain customer loyalty.
It's a shame that Apple and AT&T have locked customers within a guilded cage, the iPhone of course being the lure to a service contract for those who otherwise wouldn't choose AT&T.
As a executive in IT, and understanding the merrits of not being tied to a service contract with AT&T, I opted to purchase a "factory unlocked" version of the iPhone (not a "jail broken" or hacked version, but a legally unlocked phone) that I use with T-Mobile. The affords me the benefit of using the iPhone with my current carrier. The down side is that I don't have 3G network access, but I'm ok with that for now. I also have a Verizon phone, and I look forward to the day Verizon (and even T-Mobile) have unrestricted access to the iPhone for their 3G networks.
Joe replied on Permalink
Actually, that will not happen. Both Sprint and Verizon Wireless have turned apple down.