Rumor: Hypothetical hybrid GSM-CDMA iPhone for Verizon nowhere near production
Last week we covered the possibility that the iPhone would get a hybrid chip allowing it to work on CDMA and UTMS carriers (like Verzion and AT&T) simultaneously. Today, Appleinsider is citing industry analyst Ashok Kumar who says that such a chip hasn't reached field trial status, and that the lead time required for this type of device makes him think consumers won't see it in 2010. Kumar goes on to suggest that this new "worldmode" chip would be more likely to show up in 2011.While it would be ideal for Apple to have one model of iPhone that would work on nearly all wireless providers in the world, the technology just doesn't appear to be there at this point. Kumar points out that even though the hardware is in development, the software necessary for the basebands of such devices doesn't even exist yet but would get there eventually.
So that's one vote against a 2010 debut for the Verizon iPhone, despite the corroborating rumors from other supply chain analysts. As eager as everyone is for an alternative to AT&T in the USA, I don't think this is the last we'll hear of the story.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike said 8:01PM on 11-12-2009
With Bell and Telus in Canada now having a HSPA+ network completely simultaneous with their CDMA networks (which means my Rogers iPhone will now have service when I go home for Christmas!), and all their newer phones being GSM-only, that pretty much leaves Verizon and Sprint in the US the only major carriers in the world using CDMA (and they're switching to GSM in the long run). Apple spending development on a CDMA iPhone would be a huge waste of time and money.
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Chase said 8:03PM on 11-12-2009
The only way I would ever switch from AT&T to Verizon, is if Verizon doesn't mess with the OS. At all. I used a Moto Razr on Cingular, then tried to use one on my families plan, Verizon. I couldn't deal with it. It was poorly made (plastic vs aluminum). Just all the little things that turned me off.
It really does suck for me. Because AT&T is kind of spotty in my area, whereas Verizon gets service everywhere.
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Chris W. said 8:07PM on 11-12-2009
it's encouraging that Verizon didn't faff around with the software on the Droid...perhaps they're learning that their customers don't like the arbitrarily crippled handsets and being tied to VZW's sub-par store. Here's hoping they've started to change their ways...and that an iPhone is still coming to the network somehow.
JM said 8:08PM on 11-12-2009
Can you hear me now? no.
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TJ said 8:29PM on 11-12-2009
With Verizon committing to a rollout of LTE (4G GSM) in 2010, why would Apple develop a CDMA version to run on VZW's current network? Sprint has stated that they're going ahead with their WiMax plans, and I don't see an iPhone being developed for that.
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Ryan Gray said 8:42PM on 11-12-2009
Yes, Verizon is going LTE, Apple has said that CDMA "is going away" as a hint they won't bother, and the 5 year contract that people seem to forget about won't be over until 2012. Sure, it will likely happen someday, but not next year.
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TJ said 9:32PM on 11-12-2009
Rogers in Canada is currently pursuing possible legal action against Apple with the iPhone now being offered through Bell and TELUS, despite the previous contract.
EGOvoruhk said 10:53PM on 11-12-2009
What 5 year contract? AT&T's exclusive agreement/contract ends next year
Tjp said 10:44PM on 11-12-2009
Qualcomm just announced a hybrid chip that covers the LTE up to 21 Mbits/sec and CDMA/EVDO and prior UMTS to GSM and I think TDMA as well. The article over at www.electronista.com possible.verizon.iphone.candidates for the scoop. The availability will be late though and I'd bet on the CDMA / Verizon issue iPhone in 2010 July-ish and then an LTE version instead of the real really real world phone hybrid iPhone in 2011, because the older networks will be ... well ... older networks as LTE replces them on both sides of the fence.
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EGOvoruhk said 10:51PM on 11-12-2009
Don't these chips already exist? Verizon (Well, HTC) uses them in the Touch Pro2, which is thinner than its predecessor. I don't see why it would take over a year to put one in the iPhone
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v_name said 4:54AM on 11-13-2009
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NeoDarkSaver said 5:35AM on 11-13-2009
the Sprint touch pro2 can work on US GSM network... after some unlocking...
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Michael said 6:31AM on 11-13-2009
Seeing how you have the Blackberry World device I believe which takes a SIM but is primarily CDMA, there is a way to make this work.
However its not going to happen overnight. I still say that once it does happen, I'll leave AT&T and go over too Verizon, take the 30 day trial or 14 day trial and if everything goes well I'll port over.
For me the 3G map means nothing because with the iPhone in my area, even if its poor service AT&T blames Apple, and the Apple genius blames AT&T.
NOTE: Android Development is kicking into pretty fast, so it's going to be very very interesting to see how that goes also.
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Jason Garber said 8:32AM on 11-13-2009
After all the anti-iPhone ads from Verizon with the Droid, I doubt Apple would go out of its way to make a phone for Verizon. Steve Jobs tends to hold a grudge. Expect to see T-mobile iPhones next year and then the other carriers once they switch to GSM.
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Toby said 6:21PM on 11-13-2009
CDMA is not dead. It's GSM that's dead and why these multi-mode chips work. People are confusing the air interface level with the underlying technology. All 3G and 4G technologies are based on CDMA, even HSPA and LTE. There's a reason why HSPA underlying technology is called WCDMA and not WGSM. GSM is based on an inferior technology known as TDMA, which only exists as a legacy technology now. All flavors of 3G use CDMA, even the European ones. 4G uses a combination of CDMA and OFDM (multi-path signals being used to enhance communications rather than degrading them).
The differences between LTE or Wimax or UMB are in the interface level. Think of it this way. Underneath the MacOS is the underlying Unix core. Linux also has a Unix core. Each has a different API applications can write to and a different GUI but underneath it all is still Unix. The same applies to these 3G and 4G wireless technologies. They're all CDMA and OFDM underneath with a different air interface.
GSM is dead. Nobody is switching to GSM. LTE is not GSM.
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Digaos said 3:54AM on 11-14-2009
You are comparing oranges and apples.
GSM is a mobile standard (and also the common name used when referring to the 3GPP family of standards). CDMA is a channel access method but is also the common name for the 3GPP2 family of mobile standards.
CDMA as a channel acces method is not dead yet. As you pointed out, it's used in UMTS and also CDMA2000 (both 3G).
CDMA as a mobile phone standard competing against the GSM is "dead" meaning that it will not have a next generation. It was confirmed in November/08 when Qualcomm ended the development of UMB in favor of the LTE.
So when people say that CDMA is dead and GSM is the winner, they are talking about the mobile standard.
Also, LTE does not use CDMA, it uses OFDM and SC-FDMA. CDMA was added to the standard to provide backward compatibility with the current 3G networks.
And, just to clarify, LTE is part of the 3GPP family, which includes GSM, GPRS and UMTS/HSPA. 3GPP "popular name" is GSM, so yes, one could say LTE is "GSM" and yes, carriers are switching to the GSM family of standards.
Mathieu said 8:36AM on 11-14-2009
You say that "it would be ideal for Apple to have one model of iPhone that would work on nearly all wireless providers in the world" but they already do with the iPhone 3G/3GS. Why can't shitty, backwards carriers like Verizon just shut up and get with the rest of the world.
Besides, there are other carriers besides AT&T, Sprint and Verizon in the US. What's wrong with T-Mobile? If Apple just made a few modifications to its chip to allow the 3G bands that T-Mobile use to work with the iPhone then you'd be laughing.
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os said 12:44PM on 11-15-2009
these chips have been made. the new upcoming xpPhone (xpphone.com) has a chip for all mobile standards (gsm, cdma, td...from there website) so this could be made, but then again with all the iphone/att bashing big red has been doing lately i dont see why apple would want to make verizon even richer
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Gracemonkey said 8:21PM on 11-17-2009
Don't get your hopes up. No iphone on verizion until the roll out next gen lte tech. Cdma is going to be gone in the US inside of 10 years.
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