Will iPhone become a world phone?

[CosmoPilot]

Since Apple restricts carrier insignias on the iPhone (i.e., they don't allow it). And since Apple is bound to sell tons more iPhones now that Verizon is in the mix. Do you think Apple will start designing iPhones with both GSM & CDMA antennas?

I'm thinking they will. I doubt production is ready for this to happen on the iPhone5, but I'm betting by the time iPhone6 comes to fruition, it will sport both antennas.

This makes since for Apple. They can design and tool production for 1 model (cheaper production costs). Accessories. As it is now, the volume buttons are slightly different. Cases for the AT&T version will be different than the Verizon version. While Apple may not make a ton of cash on their bumper sales, they can appreciate the end user and partners' concerns.

Finally, this move will distance Apple from any specific carrier. 1 phone...any network! This would make the iPhone a true world phone capable of allowing the user to switch between carriers with the same device.

Thoughts?

 

[Reach9]

Actually, some rumors have stated the iPhone 5 is set to be a "global phone".
But sooner rather than later we will see a global phone.

 

[seajay96]

Possible, I believe they are testing a dual gsm/cdma chip from qualcomm....but, since most American carriers (and undoubtedly other countries as well) will be moving to LTE fairly soon, I'm not sure it makes any sense except as a bridge configuration to permit backwards compatibility until LTE is the standard.

 

[CosmoPilot]

Will this put Sprint customers out in the cold? From my understanding they are undecided on LTE.

 

[zenio]

Yes Apple will. There is a world phone already, so that proves it can be done.

I cannot remember the name of the existing phone, but it was just a test mule and never sold. It was a research project only.

 

[seajay96]

Will this put Sprint customers out in the cold? From my understanding they are undecided on LTE.

Well, ultimately, no one outside of Apple can answer that question definitively...but, come to think of it, Sprint customers can't use the iPhone right now, so what would be the difference?

 

[wordoflife]

How can it be a world phone if it is still locked to AT&T/Verizon?

 

[zenio]

Simple really.

I'd unlock it just as I have with phones I've brought home from the UK, Brazil, & Germany.

 

[scaredpoet]

Since Apple restricts carrier insignias on the iPhone (i.e., they don't allow it). And since Apple is bound to sell tons more iPhones now that Verizon is in the mix. Do you think Apple will start designing iPhones with both GSM & CDMA antennas?

I'm thinking they will. I doubt production is ready for this to happen on the iPhone5, but I'm betting by the time iPhone6 comes to fruition, it will sport both antennas.

First off: it's a misconception that the "antenna" is what changes for GSM/CDMA. The baseband itself is what's different. And multimode basebands already exist.

So I think it's safe to say that an iPhone 5 would have CDMA/GSM/HSPA+ capability at this point. LTE? Probably iPhone 6.

This makes since for Apple. They can design and tool production for 1 model (cheaper production costs). Accessories. As it is now, the volume buttons are slightly different. Cases for the AT&T version will be different than the Verizon version. While Apple may not make a ton of cash on their bumper sales, they can appreciate the end user and partners' concerns.

Yup, it's loud and clear that the Verizon iPhone is a hastily put together kludge to get something out there now. But Apple and Verizon are betting (and apparently winning that bet) that some people's impatience to get an iPhone on Verizon outweighs the common sense of waiting till June, when a more advanced, unified "global" version will likely come out.

Finally, this move will distance Apple from any specific carrier. 1 phone...any network!

Not quite. Not unless Apple also adds in bands to support T-Mobile HSPA+, and the oddly allocated 4G bands for MetroPCS, Cricket, etc. And then there's still Nextel.

But then, you REALLY don't want an iPhone on Nextel.

This would make the iPhone a true world phone capable of allowing the user to switch between carriers with the same device.

It's a lofty goal. Unfortunately, it's unrealistic. The only way to truly do this is to sell the iPhone as only an unsubsidized and unlocked phone. But that isn't going to happen: APple likes the huge profits the phone gives them, and people are used to paying $199 for an iPhone. Someone's gotta fill in the revenue gap, and that ends up being the carrier subsidies. And as long as subsidies exist, you're going to have locked phones.

Simple really.

I'd unlock it just as I have with phones I've brought home from the UK, Brazil, & Germany.

That's all fine and good, but requires jailbreaking at the moment. If someone wants to do that, fine, but it's still rewarding bad behavior on behalf of the carriers. You shouldn't have to jailbreak, and deal with not updating baseband firmwares and dodging new iOS versions just to get an unlocked iPhone.

 

[TravelinGal]

Apple Satellites?

I saw a MacRumor that said Apple would be launching their own satellites Dec 26, 2010. Did that happen? Will we be able to buy an Apple phone with no carrier-using just MobileMe? as indicated in the MacRumor.