Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
CDMA iPhone in the future?
- Thread starter themman92
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Ohhh... prepare to be flamed. You need to follow the rules and search.
Normally it'd be me doing it, but I'll just tell you now... NO.
CDMA is dead-end tech. Everything will be LTE in two years. There would be no benefit to doing it.
Normally it'd be me doing it, but I'll just tell you now... NO.
CDMA is dead-end tech. Everything will be LTE in two years. There would be no benefit to doing it.
Here's a fair and honest answer: No one here has any idea. There is nothing to indicate they will, so far. It would be the best kept secret on earth anyway. Do a search on this forum and you'll find a lot of discussion about it, including a lot of speculation and flames. Enjoy.
Here's a pretty good idea: of the hundreds of major phone companies in the world, 2 use CDMA. And those 2 are planning on moving on and transitioning their networks eventually.
So once the AT&T deal runs out (in what, 3 more years?) how important will it be to support Verizon's "old network" at that point?
Remember, this is the company that just took firewire out of their consumer laptops! I don't see them supporting CDMA at any point.
You've got a few years. I doubt you'll still have that phone any more. Remember, it will be like AT&T's EDGE adn 3G networks. They'll have both for awhile before shutting the old one down. I doubt their old network will be turned off for many, many years.
The point is that if Apple ever supports Verizon, they'll target the newer network instead of worrying about the old one. That's just the Apple way.
"A couple of years" would be a better fit than "near future". Obviously there's millions of users on CDMA devices. It will be a while before those networks can be retired, especially since the major carriers still using CDMA right now won't have any full scale LTE networks running for at least 2 years.
Here's some reading to keep you busy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution
It took around 10 years after GSM first started becoming popular until the US telcos completely retired analog cell phone service last year. So even though CDMA will start being deemphasized in a couple years, it may not be completely turned off for quite awhile.
But in any case, I don't see Apple starting to support a fading older phone standard that will already be being gradually replaced by around the time their exclusive AT&T deal expires.
.
But in any case, I don't see Apple starting to support a fading older phone standard that will already be being gradually replaced by around the time their exclusive AT&T deal expires.
.
LTE does NOT necessarily replace CDMA or GSM
Verizon has never said they're retiring their CDMA network.
It's quite possible that both they and ATT will only use LTE for high-speed data, and continue to use their highly invested GSM and CDMA voice networks for many years to come.
Verizon has never said they're retiring their CDMA network.
It's quite possible that both they and ATT will only use LTE for high-speed data, and continue to use their highly invested GSM and CDMA voice networks for many years to come.
CDMA iPhone in the past
Somewhere in Apple engineering, there's probably a few old CDMA iPhone prototypes. But they're probably on several huge circuit boards in big ugly toaster-sized boxes.
.
Somewhere in Apple engineering, there's probably a few old CDMA iPhone prototypes. But they're probably on several huge circuit boards in big ugly toaster-sized boxes.
.
Apple left out 3G to keep the cost/price down, and to get the initial $20 data rate from ATT.
Using battery as an excuse was very clever, since it certainly is valid. However, it was still valid a year later.
Same thing happening up in Canada. Bell and Telus are now upgrading their infrastructure to move to the next generation GSM system. CDMA was a North American invention that never caught on elsewhere and is due to be phased out...
Why Not?
I don't understand the animosity toward a CDMA iphone.
I would love to have a iphone on Sprint with a simply everything plan for 99 bucks a month.
Every time i pay my AT&T bill I feel like I have to break out the lube so it doesn't hurt as bad.
I don't understand the animosity toward a CDMA iphone.
I would love to have a iphone on Sprint with a simply everything plan for 99 bucks a month.
Every time i pay my AT&T bill I feel like I have to break out the lube so it doesn't hurt as bad.