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Apple Reportedly Orders CDMA Chips for December Production Run of Verizon iPhone

I for one am glad to hear the news, though I'm kicking myself for upgrading to iPhone 4 and signing a new contract with AT&T.

I'm so tired of their lack of coverage. My phone doesn't work at my house and it drops calls all over the Bay Area (where I live). I'm on vacation now - of course it doesn't work here either. I'm now completely used to standing next to someone talking on their phone when mine won't even get a signal.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those suckers on a family plan so I won't be jumping ship until 2012. Sucks for me.
 
NC MacGuy said:
Like China?

It's coming in Jan., Apple has finally got the upper hand in negotiations and it's a win win for both companies now. A lot has changed in four years and it would be ridiculous to think iPhone wouldn't eventually go to the highest rated provider in the U.S.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Although China uses a variant of CDMA that is different from Verizon here in the U.S., CDMA is nevertheless deployed elsewhere in major markets around the world.

I agree with the second part as well... Apple would only bring the iPhone to Verizon if and only if:

1. no Verizon logo stamped on the device.
2. no pre-installed Verizon "services" or 3rd party software.
3. full access to iTunes/App Store.

I believe those to be the three major hurdles at this point. Also, I know it would never happen, but I can envision a red iPhone. Both to distinguish it for Verizon, and as a Product (red) campaign.
 
iReality85 said:
Exactly. Although China uses a variant of CDMA that is different from Verizon here in the U.S., CDMA is nevertheless deployed elsewhere in major markets around the world.

I agree with the second part as well... Apple would only bring the iPhone to Verizon if and only if:

1. no Verizon logo stamped on the device.
2. no pre-installed Verizon "services" or 3rd party software.
3. full access to iTunes/App Store.

I believe those to be the three major hurdles at this point. Also, I know it would never happen, but I can envision a red iPhone. Both to distinguish it for Verizon, and as a Product (red) campaign.
Click to expand...
NO ONE wants, any pre installed Verizon software on their iPhones, no vcast, or vz navigator crap. And certainly no VZ logo on the phone either. I'm sure Verizon will finally compromise for this.
 
No defectors to Verizon? Please.

If it came down to it, most AT&T iPhone 4 users could sell their device - likely software-unlocked and jailbroken, thanks to the Dev-Team - and sell them locally or overseas for a significant markup over the fully subsidized price and use that to pay off any ETFs, then make the switch to Verizon.

No real loss on their part, but a loss for AT&T - less subscribers or less renewed contracts.
 
ChrisTX said:
NO ONE wants, any pre installed Verizon software on their iPhones, no vcast, or vz navigator crap. And certainly no VZ logo on the phone either. I'm sure Verizon will finally compromise for this.
Click to expand...

They already do ... and have been with the droids. I didn't see any on my neighbor's droid.
 
ChrisTX said:
NO ONE wants, any pre installed Verizon software on their iPhones, no vcast, or vz navigator crap. And certainly no VZ logo on the phone either. I'm sure Verizon will finally compromise for this.
Click to expand...
What do base that belief on? Because they still insist on all of the above for their other phones, including the Android phones. The worst "sin" of all is their crappy software you can't delete...

Verizon is the king of the nickle-and-dime wireless market; always have been, always will be.

I'd like to see :apple: release a CDMA iPhone for China, but without Verizon support. Just as a tactic to hold Verizon's feet to the fire on issues like that.
 
Apple should just sell one version in the US, an unlocked GSM phone. They already do this in other countries.

In addition to being unlocked, it should be 3G five band (HSDPA 850/900/1700 / 2100/1900) and maybe even support HSPA+.

All US carriers are switching to LTE and even Clear is now testing LTE. An unlocked LTE phone will be the way to go in 2011.
 
badlydrawnboy said:
I'm so tired of their lack of coverage. My phone doesn't work at my house and it drops calls all over the Bay Area (where I live). I'm on vacation now - of course it doesn't work here either. I'm now completely used to standing next to someone talking on their phone when mine won't even get a signal.
Click to expand...

This begs the question: why the hell did you buy an iPhone then?
 
cvaldes said:
Carrier locking is a restriction from the carrier, not Apple.

Apple sells tons of iDevices that aren't carrier locked. As a matter of fact, it is illegal to sell carrier locked devices in some markets (e.g., Belgium).

You do realize that there are other countries besides the United States, don't you? And that many of them have different regulations? Anyone who reads this forum or other Apple rumors sites should be aware that carrier locking is not a requirement. As a matter of fact, you can just go to Canada and get an unlocked phone.
Click to expand...
Well considering the subject is American iPhones, the fact that it is illegal to sell locked phones in Belgium is quite irrelevant. The post in question is referring to Apple selling unlocked iPhones in the United States, not Europe or Canada.
 
John.B said:
What do base that belief on? Because they still insist on all of the above for their other phones, including the Android phones. The worst "sin" of all is their crappy software you can't delete...

Verizon is the king of the nickle-and-dime wireless market; always have been, always will be.

I'd like to see :apple: release a CDMA iPhone for China, but without Verizon support. Just as a tactic to hold Verizon's feet to the fire on issues like that.
Click to expand...
Not stating as fact, but it seems like Job's ego is too big to back down to Verizon.
 
Honestly, the only reason Apple would be doing this (and I bet originally they didn't think they'd have to) is because 4G is not going to be ready for the iPhone in 2011.

Yep, if you were thinking next year was the year, guess again. Apple's moves at this stage of the game are very, very telling. There would be no CDMA iPhone even under consideration if an LTE/WiMax iPhone were in the pipeline as the next major edition.

Might as well push your iPhone 4G hopes and dreams into summer 2012.
 
Which Provider?

I don't really care, which provider it is, as long as it's GSM and I can take it out of the country and roam on other networks (yes, the prices for a 1 minutes call while roaming overseas are sickening, indeed). Verizon with their proprietary stuff doesn't allow that. So I couldn't care less if they get an iPhone or not.
T-Mobile would be the better option here.
 
badlydrawnboy said:
I for one am glad to hear the news, though I'm kicking myself for upgrading to iPhone 4 and signing a new contract with AT&T.

I'm so tired of their lack of coverage. My phone doesn't work at my house and it drops calls all over the Bay Area (where I live). I'm on vacation now - of course it doesn't work here either. I'm now completely used to standing next to someone talking on their phone when mine won't even get a signal.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those suckers on a family plan so I won't be jumping ship until 2012. Sucks for me.
Click to expand...

It's not AT&T's fault the iphone has crappy reception. I buoght an HTC Aria so I can make calls where my iphone can't. We need to stop blaming AT&T for Apple's shortcomings.
 
so if the iPhone comes to a CDMA network ( VZW ), you would think they would come to Sprint since they are a CDMA network. , I hope.

I would of thought the iPhone 4 would of come to sprint. Especially since Sprint has 4G WiMax.

Please please please come to sprint, I want a iphone instead of a droid when it comes time to upgrade.
 
FlyCrizz said:
I'm holding out on my upgrade...
I like HTC but I'm having issues with it -_-
Let's go Apple and Verizon!
Click to expand...

I think you will be holding out for quite awhile then. I don't see Verizon getting the iPhone any earlier then 2012 if ever. Steve doesn't like them and I believe they are still stuck in a 5 year contract with AT&T.

Could it happen? Yes. Will it happen? That is anyone's guess. For now if you want to stay with Verizon and want a capable easy to use smartphone you might as well get a Droid series phone and call it a day.

I have heard this rumor over and over and it never comes true. When I see it I will believe it.
 
SockRolid said:
Wow. I think you might be right. iPhone would stay with AT&T, Apple would honor the 5 year exclusivity deal (if there in fact is a 5 year exclusivity deal any more), and Verizon would get iPad.

Since iPad won't make phone calls, the lack of Visual Voicemail is a non-issue. AT&T would still be able to sell iPads with their 3G connectivity, Verizon would have a big Apple + Verizon announcement at CES.

Apple wins by potentially making their 3G iPad available to more customers (although I don't think Verizon phone users are prohibited from using AT&T 3G for iPad.) Verizon wins by getting the Apple halo-of-coolness effect, and can sell the iPad data plan(s) to more customers. AT&T wins by maintaining iPhone 4 exclusivity.

Plus, Apple can once again overshadow CES and all the wannabes and copycats. Steve seems to hate any and all trade shows, even Macworld, so stealing the thunder from everyone else at CES is a bonus.
Click to expand...

...you can make calls on on iPad with Whistle. Just use a headset.
 
If I were to place bets on why Apple ordered CDMA chips:

It won't be for Verizon. Apple is making money hand over fist and changing the design in the US won't bring much in return.

It almost certainly for China's variant of CDMA. This variant uses R/UIM chips which are functionally identical to SIM cards. Since China's market is booming, Apple wants a cut of that even if it means a new variant of the iPhone. Other countries use CDMA as their primary means of communication. South Korea, Japan, and Singapore all come to mind.

It also shows that Apple isn't waiting for LTE to get deployed, because LTE would completely supersede GSM and CDMA.
 
An iPhone with Verizon would be a great idea.

With these repeated rumors for some time now I wanted to stay with Verizon until they finally could sell an iPhone. Instead I went with the promise from Verizon that they would follow AT&Ts lead & increase prices for their data plans for smartphones. For this reason my wife & me both switched to to an Android phone with Sprint. Since I only did that about 3 weeks ago it would be nearly 2 years before I would even consider an iPhone. At the current time I am happy running my Android 2.2 phone with Sprint. Part of this lack of wanting or waiting for an iPhone is the lack of being able to connect y 3rd gen 64 GB iPod Touch to my protected wireless Mac system.

My address book keeps synced in with only listing where it is on my Mac. All that I can say is try an Android phone, you'll like one better than Apple tells you that you will be.Go Android, Go Verizon with the iPhone before the 21st century is over.

I'm one of those that believes that a strong Android system helps Apple just as much as a strong iPhone helps the Android OS phones.
 
brianfast said:
Hopefully Jobs announces the iPhone on all 4 major carriers and phones can be unlocked like the iPad. I think the iPad being unlocked is a way for Apple to tip their hats that they will not make the same mistake again...
Click to expand...

What about U.S Cellular you which is all over the Mid-West?
Why should it be just the Big-4?
 
Eventually all US carriers will be on LTE. Even Clear/Sprint is testing LTE right now.

When that time comes, the main differentiators of carriers will be performance, coverage, price and customer service. LTE will be the global standard and any phone will work with any carrier. That being said, Verizon seems to have the best core infrastructure in the US.
 
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