Rumor: Apple has a CDMA iPhone ready for Verizon

Just as every new day is met with a rising sun, every Apple event elicits rumors of an iPhone carried by Verizon. Some believe that a Verizon-compatible iPhone already exists and is merely waiting for a deal to be finalized.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg suggested that Verizon would debut its iPhone offering in January of 2011. AT&T has been the exclusive iPhone carrier it the US since its introduction in 2007. January is another six months away. What would be keeping this deal from going through?

John Gruber of Daring Fireball believes it's not the hardware. You'll remember when Steve Jobs revealed that "...Mac OS X has been leading a secret, double life," and he announced the move to Intel chips. John believes that a Verizon-compatible iPhone has been quietly existing at Apple, receiving the same refinements and improvements as its brother on AT&T.

The Loop's Jim Dalrymple agrees with John, adding that ongoing negotiations are the current stalling point. "It's reasonable to assume," Jim writes, "that the two companies are in negotiations and the Bloomberg article is just another negotiating tactic, but I don't think a deal has been signed."

Of course, they're both right. It wouldn't make any sense for Apple to finalize a deal with Verizon and then run around like a bunch of headless chickens to get a piece of hardware out the door. Speaking of that deal, Apple is in a great position. The iPhone continues to sell phenomenally well, and since the beginning fans have expressed an interest in the iPhone on Verizon.

Steve Jobs is notorious for hard-line negotiations. It's reasonable to assume that's where the Verizon deal is currently mired.

[Another possibility is that the Verizon iPhone in the underground labs is an LTE/CDMA hybrid device, and Verizon would use it as the flagship 4G phone for the network in the same way that Sprint is currently promoting the EVO 4G Android phone. –Ed.]

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Source: http://www.loopinsight.com/2010/07/01/about-this-verizon-com…

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Just as every new day is met with a rising sun, every Apple event elicits rumors of an iPhone carried by Verizon. Some believe that a...

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kevin.weber

I've been a fervent T-Mobile user for 4 years, using my unlocked 2G, 3G, and 3GS iPhones since each became available. I realize that T-Mo is not the focus of this argument, but it gives me an outside view. For 3 years now, I used iPhones that had no 3G, no visual voicemail, no voice/data simultaneity, etc., but it made phone calls and synced with my Mac and MobileMe (RIP .Mac) and I was mostly content with it. However, in April 2009, I decided to try a legitimate AT&T iPhone 3G (no 3GS yet). 30 dropped calls. 8 day time frame. I ran back, returned the phone, got out of my contract without fees, and ported my number back to T-Mobile. It was awful. But I did it again 4 days ago, and have loved it. No dropped calls, 3G everywhere (San Antonio), all features work, no instability from jailbreaking, my warranty will be honored at the Genius Bar, and no contract since I brought my own 3GS to the table. And it's only $5 more than I paid for T-Mobile, although I no longer have "unlimited everything". So after 3 years of preaching against AT&T, I'm a happy customer with their SIM in my iPhone.

July 06 2010 at 1:35 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rick

If Apple has a CDMA iPhone, why are they not selling it in Japan or Korea?

July 02 2010 at 9:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Bats

Blah blah blah

July 02 2010 at 6:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

George

NO ONE knows anything until its announced. There's NO need for these rumors..for now, it shouldn't be said until it's released. END of story.

July 02 2010 at 4:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

hedbluntincharge

verizon wireless, we never START working for you...

July 02 2010 at 3:52 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Chas

You'd think Bloomberg would know that: a) AT&T has a *5-year* exclusive with Apple, and b) it hasn't been 5 years yet.

July 02 2010 at 3:45 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Michael Bushnell

File this under I'll believe it when I see it. I've been a Verizon customer for years, so I'd be very happy to have an iPhone on Verizon. However, I'm not going to hold my breath.

July 02 2010 at 3:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Carlos Vargas

It's kinda obvious that something's going on. When ATT got generous and allowed iPhone4 upgrades to a lot customers that wouldn't be ellegible, it actually looks more like a move to tie then to a new 2 year contract taking advantage of a supposed head-start that apple gave them.

I think it's a matter to know how long will be this head start. 1? 2? 3? 6 months?

July 02 2010 at 2:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bilekore

on my previous comment that was supposed to be "sticking with my 3gs on horrible at&t" gotta learn to proofread lol.

July 02 2010 at 1:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Sam W

Please bring a CDMA version to Sprint.

July 02 2010 at 1:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply