Verizon iPhone More Likely When 4G Networks Arrive in 2010

[hashholly]

I don't really care about an iPhone per-se, but an always available internet device (like the iPod Touch) with reasonably bandwidth would be really compelling. When WiMax (4G, whatever) becomes available, I think Apple might consider a device like that, but unlocked to work on ANY network.

So long as it's not sold as a "phone" but rather more like a device with a "wireless modem" built in, they shouldn't run up against some provider worried about Skype becoming more popular than their own service...

I don't see this happening unless Apple were to get a portion of data sales, ala the iPhone. Like it or not, Apple makes more $$ if their device is locked to a carrier w/data cut, than they do if it were purely unlocked, and at the end of the day its about the $$.

 

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)

More carriers can only be a good thing for Apple and the consumer.

 

[nefan65]

Its nothing more than Verizons wack attempt to try to keep customers interested in the iphone from leaving for the next two years, and at the same time a backhanded way of apologizing to Apple (we want you now.)

Fact of the matter is there many reasons why this addition of Verizon wont happen, the simplest is Apple will want the user experience the same across all carriers, and i just dont see Verizon giving into Apples demands.

Agreed. They had their chance, and blew it. I've never been a fan of Verizon. I had to use one at a previous employer [it was that or Sprint]. It was horrible. Someone on this thread said how Apple crippled the iPhone; how ironic. That's all Verizon does to their phones!

No, I'm quite content using my AT&T iPhone 3G w/ 5 Bars. I'll let Verizon keep their crippled phones, and 1 Bar on occasion network...[at least where I live].

 

[stockscalper]

Verizon insists on crippling their phones and putting their menu scheme on them. I was a customer and left them for AT&T because of the ****** attitude their customer service has and their spotty coverage in my area. I have five bars of coverage where I live with AT&T and 1 bar with Verizon Worthless.

I don't care if they get the iPhone so long as AT&T also continues to carry it. But if Apple leaves AT&T then I'll switch to the Omnia or something else. To me having a reliable network is much more important than having a fancy phone that I can't make calls with.

 

[stooley]

2) it was completely unnecessary for ringtones or other file transfers since they were done on the iPhone via USB or WiFi. In the case of the phones where VZW cripples BT, they have no other way of installing ringtones (other than by paying $$$ to VZW).

I have never paid for a ringtone on vzw....you can mms them to your phone.

 

[Thunder82]

LTE is a totally new 4G implementation chosen by many GSM and CDMA carriers. It has nothing in common with either. The GSM myth arose because that group picked LTE first. However, CDMA carriers are implementing it first.

You're correct: both GSM and CDMA carrier models would require the old radio to fall back on. An LTE-only phone is many years away.

I was referring to the fact that LTE falls into the GSM line of evolution (GSM/Edge -> UMTS/HSDPA/UPA -> LTE) not so much the fact that the GSM carriers were the first to announce they would be implementing LTE as their 4G network.

Either way, as far as I know, Verizon is the first CDMA carrier worldwide to announce that they would be implementing LTE over Wimax, therefore making a CDMA & LTE iphone only useful to Verizon.

 

[michaelsviews]

iphone on Verizon "4G"

YES, please oh please let this come about.

AT&T get your head out of your butt cause your going to loose the exclusiveness down the road.

3G map of AT&T vs 3G of Verizon hmmmmmm

 

[stockscalper]

Six of one, half dozen of the other. Steve already restricted the iPhone in far worse ways:

Verizon has limited GPS to their VZNavigator. Apple? No turn-by-turn navigation available at all. VZNavigator would actually be a godsend.

Actually, turn by turn will be available in the next OS release. What Verizon offers is not true turn by turn, but is pulled from MapQuest. It's really lacking.

Verizon does not limit ringtones or Bluetooth on their smartphones, so that argument is totally bogus. Apple? Sorry again... years of crippled Bluetooth by their own choice.

Not true. Verizon only allows ringtones if you buy from their over priced store. They crippled bluetooth to limit syncing with your computer so people could not install music, ringtones or wallpaper that were bought from third party sources. Apple does no such thing. I've installed music, ringtones and wallpaper from third party sources on my iPhone.

Verizon allows you to use any theme, application, and backgrounding. Apple? Nope.

Get your facts straight, you have this reversed. Verizon Worthless will not allow you to use any application or theme or background unless it is purchased from their store. With the iPhone I can put music from my cd's or downloaded from Amazon or other places on it. Same goes with backgrounds and wallpaper. By and large apps must come from the app store, but some can be installed via Mobileme. Have you looked in the app store and the thousands of apps available for the iPhone versus the paltry few that are available for Verizon phones?

Verizon allows Slinging. Apple and ATT? Let's hope so.

I could care less for this. Verizon offers ****** customer service, ****** phones and ****** service. I know because I had them and got tired of all the dropped calls and service that faded in and out, not to mention the poor voice quality of their networks. I was ever so happy to leave them for AT&T.

 

[iBeard]

So we'll get a crippled phone with bloated Verizon software all over it.

neat...

 

[atomoboy]

Funny.

Now this is the same Verizon whose employees actively TRASH Apple and the iPhone whenever you walk into their stores with one in hand? It's also the same Verizon who was quick to introduce every half-baked iPhone look-a-like, right? Just wanted to get that cleared up... thanks.

The Wall Street Journal reports on comments made by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg on a broad number of topics surrounding the company.

Of interest to readers, however, is the fact that Seidenberg addressed the possibility of Apple's iPhone coming to the Verizon network.CDMA is the technology behind Verizon's current cellular network and prevents the current Apple iPhone from running on their network. In order to accommodate Verizon, Apple would have to release a modified (CDMA) iPhone which Seidenberg seems to think was never likely.

Verizon plans to launch their 4G network in 2010, conveniently near the time AT&T's exclusivity expires.

Article Link: Verizon iPhone More Likely When 4G Networks Arrive in 2010

 

[kdarling]

I was referring to the fact that LTE falls into the GSM line of evolution (GSM/Edge -> UMTS/HSDPA/UPA -> LTE) not so much the fact that the GSM carriers were the first to announce they would be implementing LTE as their 4G network.

Again, LTE is NOT repeat NOT a GSM specific line of evolution, despite the misinformation you might have read in the past.

LTE is just a 4G choice for anyone, like WiMAX.

Either way, as far as I know, Verizon is the first CDMA carrier worldwide to announce that they would be implementing LTE over Wimax, therefore making a CDMA & LTE iphone only useful to Verizon.

The CDMA2000 organization has a (warning: 3MB) presentation on adding LTE here.

Of 3G CDMA operators around the world, Verizon Wireless, Vodafone, SK Telecom, Korea Telecom Freetel, Telecom New Zealand, KDDI, China Telecom, MetroPCS and Aircell have all announced intentions to deploy LTE.

LTE is not what people think, though. It's going to mostly be used for super high-speed broadband modems... and speed costs battery... so stationary devices or large-battery portables will use it first.

 

[SeanMcg]

And who was a significant corporate backer of the TV switch delay?

Baltimore's 4G is WiMax with Sprint, not Verizon with LTE.

As someone else stated, a majority of LTE that Verizon and AT&T are going to use makes use of the 700mhz spectrum. They can't use that right now because it's still being used by analog TV. Thanks to everyone bitching about switching TV they pushed back the mandatory digital switch. With the TV transition push back comes an LTE push back. You can't roll something out if you don't have the frequency to use it with available. I know what Verizon says, but I highly, highly doubt you'll see anything close to a nationwide LTE rollout in 2010. Hell, the way things are going there still might be analog TV using 700mhz in 2010

Sprint

I read somewhere (I'll find the link and edit this post) that Sprint was pushing hard for the delay because opening up that spectrum would immediately endanger WiMax. By pushing for the delay in the TV switch Sprint gains valuable time to finish setting up their new network and start selling phones.

My guess: the people Sprint was sending to the Hill to push for a delay were much louder and numerous than their opposition.

UPDATE: while looking for the aformentioned link, I realized that not only did Sprint back the delay, so did AT&T and Verizon, even if it came much later. Odd that they would do this, given the money they put into the auction.

Take the above for what it is worth.

 

[kdarling]

Actually, turn by turn will be available in the next OS release.

No. Those are heading and speed APIs for simple apps. TBT nav apps already know how to calculate those.

Not true. Verizon only allows ringtones if you buy from their over priced store. (etc)

This and all your other complaints simply point out that you've only ever owned dumbphones.

Smartphones don't have the same restrictions as dumbphones. They can download any app, theme, music, video, etc that the user wishes.

 

[fleshman03]

lol - I'm always behind the curve. Once I get an iphone with ATT for two years, they will go to Verizon the year after... oy!

 

[Sweetfeld28]

I hope this happens. But i could just see Verizon holding out because of the profit share Apple wants. But, MaBell does have the bank to pay Apple more for exclusivity.

 

[Fathernature]

Vzw and Apple pre iPhone era

Apple first brought it's prototype iPhone to Verizon. It makes sense since they have or had the most subscibers at the time. What Verizon wanted out of the deal was the VZW interface and the Get it Now service on the phone. They wouldn't accept the phone with out it. Annnnnnnd Apple says "really you think that" ? Our OS is revolutionary no way would we succumb to ruining this product.

This Apple had offered the iPhone to verizon first but the idiots they are did not come to an agreement with Apple. Sorry Vzn fans my team is always aapl !

 

[NinjaHERO]

Competition is good for all of us. Screw this exclusive deal. I want options.

 

[ccrandall77]

What's so difficult about creating a CDMA iPhone?

Isn't Apple working with a Chinese mobile company to launch a TD-SCDMA version of the iPhone there? If so, what would be so hard about creating a CDMA phone for VZW and/or Sprint?

I know GSM is more widely used in the world, but here in the US there's around 130million customers with VZW and Sprint. I would think that'd amount to around 6-7million iPhone sales if it were available to customers of those 2 carriers.

If the next iPhone has voice dialing (and ideally if they ever fix the Apple Mail To-Do sync that's been sitting there broken since 1.1 or 1.2) and is available on Sprint, I know both my wife and I would snatch one right away. We both carry a cell phone and an iPod Touch around... it'd be nice to consolidate that into one device.

 

[jholzner]

I hope this happens. But i could just see Verizon holding out because of the profit share Apple wants. But, MaBell does have the bank to pay Apple more for exclusivity.

Since ATT subsidizes now there is no more profit sharing. Apple gets what they make off the phone and that's about it. No cut of the monthly fee...at least from 3G owners.

 

[michael.lauden]

So we'll get a crippled phone with bloated Verizon software all over it.

neat...

aaaactually - the iPhone runs apple's firmware (idk if you've heard anything about it?) and apps can only be installed from the App Store.

i'm certain that i don't have any AT&T apps on my iPhone right now, so why would verizon go out of the way to open every iPhone they receive and put their apps on it?

 

[W1LLk]

...and in case the road map is sketchy...

GSM (GPRS • EDGE (EGPRS) • EDGE Evolution • CSD • HSCSD) -->

CDMA (CDMAone • CDMA2000 • EV-DO • UMB)-->

--> UMTS/FOMA (3G) --> 3GPP Rel. 8 (Pre-4G) • E-UTRA --> LTE Advanced (4G)

 

[W1LLk]

...and in case the road map is sketchy...

GSM (GPRS • EDGE (EGPRS) • EDGE Evolution • CSD • HSCSD) -->

CDMA (CDMAone • CDMA2000 • EV-DO • UMB)-->

--> UMTS/FOMA (3G) --> 3GPP Rel. 8 (Pre-4G) • E-UTRA --> LTE Advanced (4G)

I expect you won't see Verizon on the iPhone list until they cross into "Blue" territory.

 

[Thunder82]

Again, LTE is NOT repeat NOT a GSM specific line of evolution, despite the misinformation you might have read in the past.

I don't recall ever saying it was specific only to the GSM line of evolution, or even that it was available only to GSM based carriers. LTE certainly does fall under the GSM line of evolution though, according to 3GPP, making it ideal that a carriers underlying network be GSM & UMTS, not CDMA or CDMA2000.

 

[Thunder82]

I expect you won't see Verizon on the iPhone list until they cross into "Blue" territory.

Exactly what I was trying to say. Thanks.

 

[CaptObvious]

Again, LTE is NOT repeat NOT a GSM specific line of evolution, despite the misinformation you might have read in the past.

LTE is just a 4G choice for anyone, like WiMAX.

Partially true, any carrier can use LTE. But LTE is built on the GSM/WCDMA standard. UMB was the CDMA alternative but it never took off. Thus CDMA is a dead technology. Qualcomm itself is no longer in the CDMA market. So while VZW wont be switching to GSM anytime soon, investments in that infrastructure will be slim from here on out.

LTE is an upgrade of UMTS which only T-Mobile has, so really all T-Mo needs to do is upgrade software when the time comes. HSPDA and EV-DO need to be over hauled.

And yes, LTE is intended for mobile devices. Your statement about it being more for stationary devices is just silly.