Verizon to Require 4G LTE Compatibility for 'All' Future Smartphones

[MacRumors]

CNET yesterday reported that Verizon has announced a "hard requirement" that all future smartphones released on the carrier support 4G LTE technology for faster data speeds. That requirement has naturally led to speculation that the carrier has all but confirmed that the iPhone 5 will support LTE, which had already been widely assumed and rumored.

Verizon's statement does, however, come with a minor catch, as there will reportedly be occasional exceptions to the LTE requirement, although those exceptions seem to be planned for the carrier's push-to-talk business.

From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet, and Netbook that Verizon offers will come with LTE guns a-blazing. Yes, Virginia, that includes Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices, too.

There will be the occasional exception, however. For instance, phones on Verizon's push-to-talk network are 3G-only for now, and will remain that way until further notice.

Verizon's clear, unyielding stance on 4G--"a hard requirement," according to Verizon--may partially explain why it has picked up only one Windows Phone so far.

The report notes that Verizon currently leads the pack among U.S. carriers when it comes to LTE deployment, already covering 200 million people in 190 markets with plans to complete the buildout by the end of next year. Unsurprisingly, Verizon is seeking to use its lead in LTE to its advantage by pushing its users onto devices offering the faster speeds.

Article Link: Verizon to Require 4G LTE Compatibility for 'All' Future Smartphones

 

[Consultant]

Of course. Just like the original iPhone, currently Apple is waiting for LTE to be implemented more widely and figure out how to [not] let LTE suck all the battery life out of the phone before using it.

 

[smileyborg]

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Verizon is definitely not stupid enough to try to influence Apple (and risk losing the iPhone), so they're either aware that the next iPhone is LTE capable, or are prepared to make an exception for it.

 

[840quadra]

Are they talking 'true' 4G LTE-Advanced, or the marketed 4G that is actually much slower than the ratified standard?

 

[inkswamp]

Gees, that's funny. I misread this headline as Verizon to Require Cart before all Future Horses. Guess I need to read a little more carefully.

 

[smileyborg]

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LTE = 3.9G = "4G" in Verizon marketing. At least it's more legitimate than HSPA+ and WiMAX.

 

[Andronicus]

****except apple, they can do whatever the hell they want.

 

[Rocko1]

This just pushed the iPhone 5 back another 6 months. Great.

 

[SAIRUS]

That or they don't get it. Apple needs to release it once a year to make shareholders happy, not to make Verizon happy.

 

[utwarreng]

Am I the only one seeing the discrepancy with the title of the post and the quoted text?

Verizon to Require 4G LTE Compatibility for 'All' Future Smartphones

Verizon's statement does, however, come with a minor catch, as there will reportedly be occasional exceptions to the LTE requirement, although those exceptions seem to be planned for the carrier's push-to-talk business.

From now on, nearly every smartphone

I know in the body of the article they addressed it by saying there could be exceptions, but talk about a misleading title...come on MR, I expect better from you. This isn't BGR.

 

[voonyx]

That or they don't get it. Apple needs to release it once a year to make shareholders happy, not to make Verizon happy.

Believe me Apple is not going to release some half-assed product with 7hrs of battery life because Verizon says so...I think Apple has a little bit more pull with Verizon then that...

 

[Dookieman]

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Apple has all the phone companies in their pocket. If Apple doesn't want to release an LTE phone, then it won't. The carriers say all future smartphones, with the exception for Apple to do whatever they want, when they want.

I want a WELL designed LTE phone, not some partially finished phone that has 4 hours of battery life like the others did just to be "first." First doesn't matter anymore.

 

[iWantThat]

"From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet, and Netbook that Verizon offers will come with LTE guns a-blazing. Yes, Virginia, that includes Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices, too.


Seems highly unlikely that the iPad 3 will be LTE compatible and it is likely to land in the next few months. They can get away with a lot by putting that 'nearly' in there. At the end of the day, Verizon has no say in pushing apple to implement 4G and whatever product apple decides to sell, Verizon will follow suit.

 

[d21mike]

.......From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, "tablet", and Netbook that Verizon offers will come with LTE guns a-blazing.......

Does "nearly" every "tablet" include the iPad 3?

EDIT: Just a step behind "iWantThat"

 

[*LTD*]

****except apple, they can do whatever the hell they want.

Carriers seem to understand the unique situation with iPhones and consumers (and that iPhone availability can make or break the carrier.)

 

[z2daj]

4G iPad 3?

From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet, and...

does this mean a 4G iPad 3 as well?

**EDIT**
iWantThat beat me to it

 

[bearbear]

Amazing how you guys are spinning this into Verizon somehow bullying Apple and getting upset over it. Stop with the dramatics.

Seems like a pretty standard press release and an obvious (and welcome) progression in phone tech.

 

[*LTD*]

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Apple has all the phone companies in their pocket. If Apple doesn't want to release an LTE phone, then it won't. The carriers say all future smartphones, with the exception for Apple to do whatever they want, when they want.

Gruber described the situation very succinctly recently, and I'll paraphrase:

Microsoft to carriers: Here's several hundred million dollars. Please sell our phones. Please??

Android OEMs to carriers: Here are our phones. What do you want us to change so that you will sell them?

Apple to carriers: Here's our new phone. It comes in black or white. We will allow you to sell it.

 

[george-brooks]

I feel like the iPhone is important enough to Verizon that if Apple decided not to make the 5 LTE capable Verizon would make one of the mentioned exceptions for them. But hopefully this means that an LTE iPhone is in the works!

 

[lord patton]

Verizon has announced a "hard requirement" that all future smartphones released on the carrier support 4G LTE technology, unless Apple doesn't want to.

fixed that. (not that I was the first )

 

[soco]

fixed that. (not that I was the first )

Let's not pretend this press release wasn't waiting until Apple told Verizon it was ready.

 

[PlipPlop]

It would be embarrassing to Apple to not include 4G on the next iphone, the iphone4s is already embarrassing enough.

 

[Mr Fusion]

It's not the iPhone 5. Quit calling it that.

 

[dgree03]

Gruber described the situation very succinctly recently, and I'll paraphrase:

Microsoft to carriers: Here's several hundred million dollars. Please sell our phones. Please??

Android OEMs to carriers: Here are our phones. What do you want us to change so that you will sell them?

Apple to carriers: Here's our new phone. It comes in black or white. We will allow you to sell it.

Apple needs the carriers just as much as the carriers need them. Dont be so naive!

 

[swingerofbirch]

I wonder how this will impact Apple's routine of selling older generation phones along with new ones. I guess Apple will continue being able to sell its older generation phones once new models come out as long as they don't change model numbers or capacities as they've done recently (making a new 8 GB iPhone 4 model once the iPhone 4S was released), as presumably the 8 GB iPhone 4 is in some ways a "new" phone.