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Verizon iPhone Carries World-Mode 'Gobi' Chip From Qualcomm

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Repair firm iFixyouri has started taking apart the Verizon iPhone and 9 to 5 Mac notes that the device carries a Qualcomm "Gobi" MDM6600 wireless chip inside it, technically offering "world-mode" compatibility with both CDMA and GSM networks. iFixit is also performing one of its usual high-quality teardowns of the Verizon iPhone and has seen the same chip.


160542-verizon_iphone_mdm6600_500.jpg


The MDM6600 supports HSPA+ data rates of up to 14.4 Mbps, as well as CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev. A/Rev. B. Apple of course has not included a SIM-card slot in the Verizon iPhone, and thus the device can not actually be used on GSM networks.

The use of the dual-mode chip in the Verizon iPhone does, however, increase the likelihood that Apple will use a similar solution in the fifth-generation iPhone and could thus offer a single model supporting both GSM and CDMA networks.

Article Link: Verizon iPhone Carries World-Mode 'Gobi' Chip From Qualcomm
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/02/07/verizon-iphone-carries-world-mode-gobi-chip-from-qualcomm/
Good my contract is over but I dont know which carrier to choose yet. I have 3-4 bars outside my house area but 1-2 bars inside.

From what i seen, the cheapest plan is $55 on AT&T without all the taxes, but does anyone know the cheapest plan (w/ 2GB plan) for Verizon?
 
rkw0211 said:
Which makes me wonder, why not put a sim slot in it? :(
Click to expand...

Maybe building an antenna structure that supported dual GSM and CDMA, along with the necessary internal rearrangements, was more modification than Apple was willing to make with the 4. This is pretty good evidence though that the iPhone 5 will support both. Maybe iPad 2 as well.
 
If only....

Use Verizon CDMA for voice only plan.

Get a cheap ATT data plan, too.

... Or, I could just wait for Verizon LTE to take foot.
 
It's a fairly safe bet now that the iPhone 5 will support GSM and CDMA. Apple doesn't want to manufacture two models.

Now that the chipset has been outed, it's just a question of engineering for both the antenna and internal space.
 
I can already barely feel the vibration! When I'm up and walking around I can't feel it at all and now they're making it less powerful so that its not as 'jarring' when its on a table... wtf? it's supposed to alert you!
 
rkw0211 said:
Which makes me wonder, why not put a sim slot in it? :(
Click to expand...

Exactly! This is yet another among numerous examples of Apple prioritizing form factor over functionality. For those of us who actually travel overseas for work (because we have to put food on our table), it is a huge deal to be able to insert a local SIM card in every country we travel to. But Apple thinks it is more important to keep the iPhone as thin as possible so non-professionals will be able to view it as a fashion accessory.
 
MacRumors said:
the device carries a Qualcomm "Gobi" MDM6600 wireless chip inside it, technically offering "world-mode" compatibility with both CDMA and GSM networks.

The use of the dual-mode chip in the Verizon iPhone does, however, increase the likelihood that Apple will use a similar solution in the fifth-generation iPhone and could thus offer a single model supporting both GSM and CDMA networks.
Click to expand...

Apple has zero incentive to offer a single phone that could be used on either network. The reason is simple. They can sell an unhappy AT&T or Verizon customer another phone if they make them separate whereas the ability to simply reprogram the phone would cost them a sale and Apple is all about GREED baby. That is the real reason why the new model lacks a sim card slot. If you hate Verizon's inability to take a call and use the Internet at the same time, you'll not only pay through the nose to get out of your contract, but you'll need to buy another iPhone to boot. Apple wins either way and you lose. That's the way Apple likes it. They only offer consumer friendly features when it benefits them. The iPhone is way too popular to EVER kowtow to the consumer any time soon and Apple is notorious for ripping off its own customers in any number of ways from charging for upgrades to forcing their users to buy hardware before they would otherwise do so (known as the "Apple Tax" in fanboy circles and simply called overpriced and/or rip-offs among those disinclined to pay more for less in an era where the hardware is often the same and GUI differences are starting to become moot as Windows and OSX rip each other off).
 
I feel bad for people getting a verizon iPhone now, only to have it updated in 3 months to run on every possible network out there.
 
Separated CDMA and GSM iPhones are not easier to handle since essentially once you're subscribed to a carrier, your phone only uses that single band/technology.
For instance, if I have ATT's iphone with a dual cdma/gsm chipset, once I'm authenticated on ATT's network, the phone turns off CDMA antenna as it's not needed, therefore the battery doesn't get drained.
Not sure what the "UPDATE" section at the bottom of this article means.

Also, I really hope the iPhone 5 uses MDM9600 chip instead of 6600, since 9600 supports LTE, dc HSPA+, cdma, pretty much every single band known on this planet.
 
gotta guess iphone 5 will do "4g" (3g) hspa+ with this revelation. doubt we'll see an 4g lte iphone til 2012. pretty sure ip4 doesn't support hspa+ but supports hspa
 
Donz0r said:
I can already barely feel the vibration! When I'm up and walking around I can't feel it at all and now they're making it less powerful so that its not as 'jarring' when its on a table... wtf? it's supposed to alert you!
Click to expand...

It's because Verizon users need a kinder, gentler iPhone. :rolleyes:
 
manu chao said:
Is Verizon's first implementation of LTE compatible with HSPA+?
Click to expand...

No. They are both completely different standards.

Donz0r said:
I can already barely feel the vibration! When I'm up and walking around I can't feel it at all and now they're making it less powerful so that its not as 'jarring' when its on a table... wtf? it's supposed to alert you!
Click to expand...
Indeed, what a ridiculous "improvement". It's barely noticeable already..
 
rkw0211 said:
Which makes me wonder, why not put a sim slot in it? :(
Click to expand...

I would suspect Apple wanted to do this on the cheap as an interim device leading up to the next iPhone. Adding the chip now rather than a pure CDMA chipset will help Apple with pricing when the next iPhone comes along.
 
So if the Verizon iPhone can support HSPA+ in hardware (and hopefully software in the future once it gets jailbroken), and at&t likes to call HSPA+ 4g, really, AT&T is telling us to buy a verizon iPhone for its 4G capabilities.
 
1700 MHz AWS band supported?

Does this chip support the 1700 MHz AWS band?
 
Wait a minute? So the Verizon iPhone is indeed dual mode, it has a GSM radio on it...but Apple chose to simply leave it inside and...do nothing with it?

What's the point?
 
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