iPad 2 CDMA OR GSM, not both?

[el-John-o]

Hey all,

Just confirming this, but despite the fact that the CDMA iPhone 4 uses a "global" chip, Apple has apparently gone with two SEPERATE models for the iPad 2 right? Any idea why this is? To me, it would make more sense (since the iPad is not subsidized and sold "unlocked"), to be both Verizon and AT&T compatible at the same time, what gives?

 

[MacDawg]

You are correct... separate models

 

[Stetrain]

Hey all,

Just confirming this, but despite the fact that the CDMA iPhone 4 uses a "global" chip, Apple has apparently gone with two SEPERATE models for the iPad 2 right? Any idea why this is? To me, it would make more sense (since the iPad is not subsidized and sold "unlocked"), to be both Verizon and AT&T compatible at the same time, what gives?

It'll be interesting to see when iFixit does a teardown whether they both have the same chip. If so, then it's a matter of antennas. The Verizon iPhone can technically do GSM/3G, but that would require having both sets of antennas inside the device, and the Verizon iPhone only has the CDMA/EVDO antennas. Maybe the space constraints (and amount of antenna exposure area in the black plastic bar) prevented them from successfully getting good signal with GSM and CDMA antennas in the same device. I'm sure at some point they'll change that though, either with a fall update or iPad 3.

 

[el-John-o]

It'll be interesting to see when iFixit does a teardown whether they both have the same chip. If so, then it's a matter of antennas. The Verizon iPhone can technically do GSM/3G, but that would require having both sets of antennas inside the device, and the Verizon iPhone only has the CDMA/EVDO antennas. Maybe the space constraints (and amount of antenna exposure area in the black plastic bar) prevented them from successfully getting good signal with GSM and CDMA antennas in the same device. I'm sure at some point they'll change that though, either with a fall update or iPad 3.

Yeah I sure hope so. Where I live AT&T is the CLEAR winner in speed and reliability, but as far as I have heard, it's probably the only area in the world that this is true of. Having a CDMA/GSM co-compatible and unlocked iPad is perfect for someone like me who travels, if Verizon does a month-to-month plan of some sort, and if it can be activated through settings like the SIM card in the GSM models can with AT&T, it would be fantastic if I was in a poor AT&T area, and needed data enough it'd be worth forking over $25 or so to have that particular plan.

I also firmly believed that a device like the iPad, which is unlocked and quite literally selling by the millions, could spark a massive price war between AT&T and Verizon. As it is right now, you have to pick and then stick with either an AT&T or Verizon iPad, if they were co-compatible and you could just tap and swipe your way between the two, they would have to undercut each other. With the iPhone, most people will buy it with a 2-year contract, so that's not quite as important, they also have phone numbers to keep, family plans not to break up, and STILL AT&T is lowering prices and offering free features (like switching to any mobile to any mobile), imagine if there was no phone number to change, or family plans to disrupt, etc. etc., and it was just "click on the best value for you for this particular month", no contracts, etc. A "global" iPad would be FANTASTIC for the consumer, all around.