iPhone 4 Variation Hits Final Field Testing Stage? iPhone 5 at 'Engineering Verification Test' Stage?

[MacRumors]

Boy Genius Report claims to have received information from a source who reports that a tweaked version of the iPhone 4, known internally as "iPhone3,2", as entered the final field testing stage before production, indicating that a release may be coming in the next several months.

One of our solid Apple sources has just let us know some pretty interesting (and exciting) information surrounding Apple's upcoming iPhone devices. For starters, we have been told that iPhone model 3,2 - what everyone is assuming to be the Verizon (or at least CDMA-compatible) phone - just hit the "AP" testing stage. This is the very last stage before retail release; final hardware, almost final software.

But according to the source, the iPhone3,2 carries a SIM card slot similar to that used by the existing iPhone 4, a feature not required for a straightforward CDMA-only phone. Boy Genius Report offers three theories as to what this device might be then, given that it possesses a SIM card slot:

- A "global" mode phone offering support for both GSM and CDMA that would be compatible with all carriers. The design could obviously carry a tweaked antenna design to address reception issues and serve as a mid-cycle upgraded model around the world while also introducing new CDMA support.

- A CDMA phone with SIM support for global roaming, although this scenario seems overly complicated.

- A tweaked version of the existing iPhone 4, with no support for CDMA networks. This could simply be an updated version to addresses antenna issues.

The source also indicates that the fifth-generation iPhone has entered the "engineering verification test" (EVT) stage, a phase the CDMA-based iPhone 4 was said to have entered back in May. Additional claims of the CDMA iPhone 4 being in the EVT stage surfaced in mid-August. The first software references to iPhone3,2 appeared in iPhone OS 3.2 back in early April.

Article Link: iPhone 4 Variation Hits Final Field Testing Stage? iPhone 5 at 'Engineering Verification Test' Stage?

 

[GroundLoop]

Should I buy an iPhone 4 now or wait?....

Screw it...I will just go to a bar and pick-up the iPhone 5.



GL

 

[fabian9]

Interesting. I think it'd be a global phone, can't seem them having 2 versions for two different kinds of networks…

 

[Will do good]

I'm skipping iPhone 4, can't wait to see what iPhone 5 will look like.

 

[cvaldes]

iPhone 4 with AWS band, for T-Mobile USA 3G compatibility. It would be nice to see HSPA+ support, but I'm doubting that would arrive on this model. Maybe next year.

 

[jav6454]

I'm skipping iPhone 4, can't wait to see what iPhone 5 will look like.

The same, with fixed issues. I'm guessing a fixed iPhone from the antenna issues and no CDMA support. Why support such dying standard? Also, don't give me the Verizon owns more customers than AT&T or Android this or that. That is here in the US; out there, the story is much different.

 

[thetexan]

In other news, Verizon announced today that their tiered data pricing will continue to include $29.99 for unlimited. That's a relief.

 

[Dae]

If they improve signal reception, I'm getting it.

I'm not talking only about that famous left corner issue.

 

[snebes]

- A CDMA phone with SIM support for global roaming, although this scenario seems overly complicated.

Overly complicated for whom? BlackBerry has "worldphone" editions on the Verizon network that have done this for a while.

I honestly would not be surprised if this phone isn't for US CDMA networks, but just the others around the world.

Apple may finally be giving in a little to the world rather than the world conforming to Apple. But we will see it when it comes out.

 

[jav6454]

Overly complicated for whom? BlackBerry has "worldphone" editions on the Verizon network that have done this for a while.

I honestly would not be surprised if this phone isn't for US CDMA networks, but just the others around the world.

Apple may finally be giving in a little to the world rather than the world conforming to Apple. But we will see it when it comes out.

Compare a BB phone to an iPhone. Yes, thickness. BB phones will make space (even if it means, fuglifying the phone), where as Apple doesn't compromise design.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Sounds like iPhone 5 is quite far along. Might be a chance it is released before June '11, perhaps with the next iPad? I'm not sure how the past iPhones progressed, but there are only a couple more testing phases.

 

[Mattsasa]

so how long until a verizon iphone will be selling?

late January after the announcement?

or not til febuary, or march

 

[snebes]

In other news, Verizon announced today that their tiered data pricing will continue to include $29.99 for unlimited. That's a relief.

Does Verizon also still think that "unlimited" means around 5-6GB per month?

 

[jav6454]

so how long until a verizon iphone will be selling?

late January after the announcement?

or not til febuary, or march

Q2 2020

 

[Madmic23]

- A CDMA phone with SIM support for global roaming, although this scenario seems overly complicated.

Why does this seem overly complicated? Bell did this in Canada with a few "Global" phones, including at least one Blackberry that I can remember when they still had a CDMA only network. It was CDMA, with a SIM card slot for global roaming. However, it was a Bell SIM card, so they still got to collect the insanely high roaming fees.

 

[iRobertM]

- A tweaked version of the existing iPhone 4, with no support for CDMA networks. This could simply be an updated version to addresses antenna issues.

And yet they discontinued the free bumper effort before this model gets shipped, not sure I like that.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Do I hear AWS?

 

[cvaldes]

Sounds like iPhone 5 is quite far along. Might be a chance it is released before June '11, perhaps with the next iPad? I'm not sure how the past iPhones progressed, but there are only a couple more testing phases.

Actually iPhone 5 is not far along: it just reached the second of five stages. The engineering stages are proto, EVT, DVT, PVT/ramp, steady state production.

iPhone 5 will probably stay in EVT through the end of this year, spend a couple of months in DVT, a couple of months in PVT, then start steady state production for 4-6 weeks to accumulate enough inventory for a June/July launch.

 

[jav6454]

And yet they discontinued the free bumper effort before this model gets shipped, not sure I like that.

Because maybe the model is near the final stages and the tweaked version will be out before ThanksGiving? Ever thought of that?

 

[Gasu E.]

Should I buy an iPhone 4 now or wait?....

Screw it...I will just go to a bar and pick-up the iPhone 5.



GL

But if history repeats itself, the iPhone 5 you find in a bar will be disguised in an iPhone 4 case!!!!

 

[elppa]

When did Gray [in]famously lose his — was that during EVT?

 

[treyjustice]

seems like a dual band gsm/cdma would be the smartest that way you don't have to worry about manufacturing 2 seperate phones.... they are all the same

 

[Jay42]

Sounds like iPhone 5 is quite far along. Might be a chance it is released before June '11, perhaps with the next iPad? I'm not sure how the past iPhones progressed, but there are only a couple more testing phases.

No. Consider that the fact that the alleged Verizon iPhone entered this same stage in May and won't be released until January at the earliest...

 

[room237]

Guys... the iPhone 5 will be the WHITE iPhone 4

 

[iRobertM]

Because maybe the model is near the final stages and the tweaked version will be out before ThanksGiving? Ever thought of that?

The free bumper effort ended last month I thought.