Verizon-compatible CDMA iPhone 4 rumored to be in production - Page 3

more BS to feed the AT&T haters....
nothing to see here, move along.

No, I am not missing the point. I can do all of that now with Wifi and I never do it. Now I can see the usefulness of that, don't get me wrong but for me that is really not a feature I use now on wifi or would use on an iPhone either over 3G. And why would you think we would need to get a pen and paper? During a call I can take notes right on the phone, and access other apps like text messaging or email. I can even record the calls. Can you do that with an iPhone?

Voicemail is also going the way of the Dodo. I rarely even get a voicemail anymore, most of my friends just tend to text me. I get a lot of calls but very few voicemails because most people just tend to hang up before they leave a message. And usually the message is just to call them back anyway which is the same message that a missed calls conveys. A few years ago I got more voicemails than texts, but that has completely reversed recently. I average about 600 texts a month.

Yes for maybe 2 or 3 years maximum, as the expense to maintain two incompatible networks would be expensive and not make sense long-term. Once LTE rollout is mostly complete CDMA will die quickly.

The iPhone has supported T-Mobile's GSM frequencies since version 3. T-Mobile also was Apple's exclusive carrier in a few countries, so there is a successful relationship in place.

In light of those two facts, the sensible move would be to expand to T-Mobile before Verizon.

It would also shit all over Google's phone (Nexus One), since that one is T-Mobile exclusive. Furthermore, T-Mobile is upgrading their entire network to HSPA+, which gives you almost 4G speeds, on 3G handsets! So there would be a nice retroactive gain for the established handset base.

Bonus for me: T-Mobile has 3G where I live, AT&T doesn't (grrrr).

Again, LTE will displace EVDO first and then CDMA years later. Verizon will probably not even have any LTE phones until late 2011. Most LTE devices will be data only at first like their mifi devices. For voice calls on LTE, they will need to transition to VoIP and that will take a LONG time to fully implement. CDMA will still be the primary method for voice calls on Verizon for a long while yet. Any LTE handsets on Verizon will still need a CDMA radio for many years to come. Verizon itself estimated that to be another 5 years at the earliest.

...many commenters make is assuming the relevancy of their personal experience translates directly to the average consumer. You need to get out more perhaps, or perhaps you don't multitask well. Either way (warning: anecdotal observation) I see people out and about talking and using another feature on their phones routinely, outside wifi zones, including iPhone users talking and surfing, talking and looking up a location in Maps, talking and checking for a restaurant in Urbanspoon, and so on. So your experience may vary widely from the norm. However please observe you had to leverage Google Voice to gain a certain level of functionality built into the iPhone (and many Android phones as well). Without having to rely on a wifi connection to do it. And therein lays one of the points - the Verizon system doesn't support a basic functionality that millions of users now expect from their cellphones. Likewise most, if not all the top carriers in the US have deveoped a form of visual voicemail akin to the same implemented by ATT for the iPhone. It is now a expected feature.

As to your feautre points - yes I can check email, take notes etc. on my iPhone while on a call. It's OK you can enjoy your phone while I enjoy mine. And if you call I'll even be able to listen to you and respond while finding us a nice place to eat, outside a wifi zone even!

Q f T

I believe part of your original comment was about using it a speaker phone, thus focusing on using your phone as anything other than phone while on a call as being unwanted and unwarranted.

I find this useful and I use it excessively. I know others don't and don't think it's odd that don't, but for me and many others it's a feature we do not want to give up... ever.

Suppose I'm Steve Jobs and this story is true, my strategy would be selling this CDMA phone for the China market, gauge the reactions and shortcomings while at the same time let Verizon drools.... Along with their customer until the time is right i.e. it will be among one of the last resort strategy but I doubt I would need that (just let them get the LTE version instead).

Makes sense. Apple is saving all of the white iPhones for Verizon. This way, you can tell the good guys from the bad guys. Verizon = White, AT&T = Black.
Just a thought

It this point, I think all bets are off on exclusivity. Of course Apple has planned for the day it jumps to another US carrier, just as it is on multiple carriers overseas. But the kicker is Android. As soon as AT&T started carrying Android phones, they have to let Apple compete on other carriers. At first exclusivity of iPhone and the lack of a non-windows smart phone competitor worked fine. But now consumers have a greater choice of smart phones on various carriers, and now that includes AT&T. If Apple has to compete on AT&T with Droid, it should be allowed to compete with it elsewhere as well. We've learned that it's not JUST about the phone, but also the carrier, and that's a choice a lot of us have given up for the iPhone. I'm willing to wait it out with my 3G iphone until January - even next summer if need be - without re-upping with AT&T for 2 more years.

why else do you think ATT allowed everyone with a contract expiring anytime in 2010 to upgrade to iPhone 4? they want to lock us all into new 2-year contracts before the VZWiPhone4 is announced.

[or did you think they did it our of the kindness of their hearts?]

...this may have already been posted in this thread, i usually try to read everything before posting, no time rn...

No, I am not expecting that my phone habits are the norm, but neither should you. Most people on AT&T are not using an iPhone. So even on AT&T, that type of usage is far from the norm since feature phones still greatly outnumber smart phones. I don't need to use an app to find a restaurant, so you will have to give a better example than that. What did you do before you had an iPhone, starve or never go out to eat? My built in GPS in my car is far better than an iPhone for finding restaurants by the way and I can easily multitask by using that while simultaneously talking to you via bluetooth through the car speakers. I am not attacking the iPhone, I think it is a great phone and would certainly get one if it comes to Sprint. But for me, the killer feature of a phone is reliable voice coverage and no dropped calls. At least where I live, AT&T sucks. If you live within a city where AT&T has good coverage, congrats but I don't. So the iPhone is not an option for me because it would make a poor phone.

P.S. my boyfriend has an iPhone, and we spend almost every day together so it is not like I don't know what I am talking about. Even he has to use my Sprint phone many times to make actual calls. We also often go out of town every week-end and once you get into rural areas he often has no signal at all while I still have great coverage. I am just not willing to put up with spotty coverage and dropped calls even if it is an iPhone. Even he is considering getting an EVO and not the new iPhone because he is getting sick and tired of the spotty coverage even though he loves his iPhone in all other respects. Saving him about $60 a month doesn't hurt either.

Right you are solipsism, I stood in line well over 12 minutes with the Best Buy salesman and when I finally showed him the story posted on Appleinsider that's all it took. I plopped down my $200 and walked out knowing I'll be the first person with a iPhone 4 on Verizon.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe your governments got together & regulated that the cell industry agree upon 1 standard so that individuals couldn't get locked into 1 provider. In the US this is not the case so all these providers chose different technologies for whatever reason & now we have a mess. With the move to 4G I believe this will be largely resolved as it will be a brand new network for all built upon a single technology type.

AT&T 3G is not much different from what you all use but CDMA is very different and chipsets for it are not at all compatible with your systems.

I'm not the expert though so I might be off on some of that, someone might be able to expand more on the issue.

I think the elephant in the corner is that GSM is already the backbone for most cell networks around the world & at this point no one would be wise to buy a CMDA iPhone unless it was capable of both CDMA & GSM. Otherwise when CDMA goes the way of the dodo (which it will some day) people will be stuck with a phone that doesn't work anywhere anymore. Course by the time that happens it may be an obsolete device anyway. Verizon may be the US market leader but Apple is probably more likely to go T-Mobile first.

P.S. the new iPhone does support UTMS, which is the direction most carriers are moving for 4G.

How many more times does DigitTimes need to publish a completely fictitious story before tech sites stop realise that they're not a credible news source?

Actually according to the CDG there are several CDMA2000 (etc) networks in Europe.

I saw an HTC EVO phone with Android 2.1... which has multi-tasking on Sprint (CDMA?), I believe.

I was thinking that the system software (iOS4) would handle the multi-tasking even if the network hardware didn't. Am I wrong in my reasoning.

Nice rewriting of history. Apple wanted to go with Verizon first but Verizon wouldn't agree to Apple's terms. Apple then went to AT&T.

Interesting points, but we'll see. The Wall Street Journal is not known for publishing unsubstantiated rumors though. There was a 5 year agreement, but terms can change, especially with all of AT&T's problems. I personally am waiting a few months to see if the Verizon iPhone rumors for this fall pan out. If not, I am moving to a Droid. Love the iPhone, can't take another minute of AT&T's abysmal service.

Good and valid point. Apple is more than willing to make a CDMA phone because the cost vs. rewards of such an undertaking would be minimal. I think the reason there is still no Verizon iPhone is because Verizon is still being, well..Verizon and stubborn. They are probably unwilling to make the concessions Apple is demanding. Verizon and Apple are similar in a lot of respects in corporate culture in the sense that neither think they have to negotiate and both want their way.

The best way to force Verizon to accept their demands would be to release an iPhone on Sprint and T-Mobile and not for Verizon. AT&T, SPrint, and T-Mobile combined would dwarf Verizon and leave them little choice but to agree to any and all terms Apple wants.

technically they already have, CDMA is a channel access method (don't confuse it with the the Qualcomm technologies which people shorten to CDMA), one of the UTMS access methods is W-CDMA which is a varient of CDMA

Isn't this like the hundredth time it's been "rumored"?

Totally agree.

LOL I see now problem with that plan at all. Just make sure you by the Bumper from Best Buy as it's the only way to get the bumper-to-bumper coverage on the iPhone 4.

This should not be difficult to answer. Many phone manufacturers create phones that work with different carriers in the US. Do they manufacture phones as you indicated? Or, from the point of view of Apple's aesthetics (not usually reserved only for what is seen outside) and penchant for efficient design, will your proposal makes sense to Appple?

This aside, I espoused before as to why Apple should and most likely would create other iPhones that will work for other carriers, provided it will not break their contract with AT&T (or until they find a contract breaker). As noted by other posters here, there are AT&T moves that may be consistent (not not positive proof) that they are trying to lock customers this year:

• Steep increased termination fee.
• Early eligibility for those who are within 6 months

If it is not possible for Apple to break its contract with AT&T, as noted by others too, there are other parts of the world, notably China, where a CDMA iPhone would have a potentially big market.

I do not buy the argument that Apple will wait for LTE technology to be more widespread -- before Apple introduces a Verizon iPhone. It will take years for that "mature transition" to be realized.

Apple knows very the threat of the Android to its market. If it can find a way, it will not let customers become to entrenched with an Android phone, simply because there is not iPhone in those carriers.

The unknow here is the perspective of carriers, like Verizon, Did they think they have a good bargaining chip with the "popularity" of the Androids and RIMs in their arsenal of iPhone competiitors? How Verizon perceives the strength of their cards matter how they negotiate with Apple/Steve Jobs?

One thing for sure, Apple/Steve Jobs did not simply kiss the hands of the Chinese carriers when they were playing hardball, thinking their vast market would be enough to dictate terms on all foreign tech companies.


Apple should or would likely do this, irrespective of what Verizon does. It is good move for Apple to appeal to the "elite" (as opposed to simply affluent) customers in every carrier.

I do not think technology is what limits move to other carriers. I am sure there are other valid reasons why Apple has not offered iPhone for other carriers already. I will not attempt to second guess the rationale behind the moves of such a very successful team.


CGC

Actually, the idea that Apple went to VZW first and VZW turned them down is re-writing history. The original poster is correct. That whole BS was started by a single USA Today article (obviously known for their hard hitting journalism).

Unless, that is, you don't want to believe it from the horse's mouth.

Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon CEO - "Apple never seriously considered making a CDMA version of the iPhone because it didn't have as wide a distribution opportunity." (2007)

... as far as the CDMA iPhone rumors, I keep on waiting for these to die.

Note the timing of the rumor - one day after iPhone 4 preorders (record setting, btw) and prior to Pegatron stock going public. Stock manipulation much?

If AT&T were trying to be sly about locking people in, why wouldn't they let anyone with a 3GS upgrade? 6 months early doesn't cover any of the 3GS purchasers (unless they already qualify early due to high revenue).

This is a lot of smoke but absolutely no fire, just like every rumor for the last 3 years... most of you just sound like suckers.

I could never see Apple doing that. Apple has never made a product just to gauge market reaction especially when iPhones can be had for a cheaper price on the black market that going into the store and buying one.

Why does LTE have to be the reason the time is right? Many other companies, smaller than Apple, are currently doing phones on multiple carriers in the US. Even Palm who almost went out of business. Why can't doubling the pool of potential subscribers can't be enough of a reason?

AT&T treats their customers like crap. They send them C&D letters, now have data caps while charging for tethering and have had two separate security issues in two weeks. There is something new happening everyday. Today they just announced that they are putting data caps (your 2GB data plan is the cap) on their Microcell users. These are the same users who have lousy coverage and have to buy this $150 device to have a mini cell tower in their house while AT&T uses it to enhance their own network. AT&T, these are the reasons people hate you. I dare any crazed fanboys to come back at me and say AT&T is great after what I've stated.

People can talk all they want about simultaneous voice/data but that is useless if you can't even make a phone call in areas like NYC & SF. If you prefer AT&T then stick with them but others that have a problem should have a choice.

Actually, here is what Verizon says:

"We said no." Said Jim Gerace, a VZW VP. "We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn't reach a deal that was mutually beneficial."

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/29/v...e-iphone-deal/

The source is not just a "single USA Today article" - it came from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

I also find it interesting that you quote from the Wall Street Journal when it is convenient for you (the Seidenberg quote) but not when the paper disagrees with your point:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...601774892.html

There may be some shenanigans going on, but with AT&T's incompetence, Android seriously challenging the iPhone in the US (but not anywhere else in the world where the network isn't the main reason for not getting an iPhone), and persistent rumors, there is more here than just "smoke."

And the real suckers (and I include myself on this) are the ones that have been paying $80 to $100 a month for the crappy service they've been getting from AT&T.

Well, most people replace their cell phones in 2 years or so, so as long as you think CDMA will be around in 2 years and it is fully supported by your carrier, there's nothing unwise about buying a CDMA phone.

I got sick and tired of waiting...I went with the DROID Incredible and I don't regret a thing. I love my MBP, but it drives me nuts sometimes how restrictive Apple is - iPhoto and iVideo want to take control of your whole life...it's crazy. And I'm certainly not willing to put up with no Flash. Google got it just right - I really love this phone!

Well i think that Verizon surely has noticed by now that accepting the iPhone on their network would have been highly beneficial!
They could have so many more customers if they would have took it to begin with and AT&T may not even been in the runnings anymore..
I personally have been waiting for a verizon iphone simply because I refuse to have AT&T's crappy service. They don't even have 3G in my county, i have to travel about an hour to find 3G coverage from AT&T ( so my friend tells me)!

Point well taken. It's a PHONE and the first priority is GETTING SERVICE. Hopefully IPHONE 4 improves connectivity but AT&Ts service sucks. Yes Verizon & Sprint have AT&T beat hands down. But once exclusivity of the IPHONE go it's likely several carriers will have the IPHONE not just verizon.

I get that Verizon runs CDMA, so technically a CDMA iPhone would be Verizon-compatible - I just don't think that it is aimed at Verizon.

The iPhone has seen very little action in Japan, because they picked the worst carrier for the operation: Softbank. If Apple wants to move iPhones they really need to be with AU KDDI or Docomo. Softbank is the only GSM carrier in Japan, but they have really limited range. Go into the mountains and my AU piece of junk 3 year old phone will get three bars, my buddy's iPhone won't get any.

A CDMA iPhone would give Apple much, much more of Japan, more of China and more of South Korea. Then, maybe, when all exclusive agreements are up - it might find its way to Verizon.

IPHONE4 most likely has HIDDEN FEATURES locked up. These features will probably be released a few months from now to spur new excitement in the phone, also to keep the competition guessing.

Just got an HTC Droid Incredible. I am jailbreaking my old iPhone and putting it on T-Mobile. Goodbye AT&T - and good riddance.

Actually, they went to Cingular, not AT&T. They went to AT&T by default I think before the first iphone ever hit the shelves.

I just don't understand why people are so stuck on Verizon. I get it if you live in a big city when AT&T has dropped calls and a clogged network...but most people aren't affected by this. I don't have dropped calls, unless my battery dies.

I switched from Verizon to AT&T and I lived to tell about it.

I've heard this "Verizon iPhone coming next year" for three years now. I'm one of those I'll believe it when I see it people. In the meantime, life is short, and I'm enjoying my iPhone.

Because our friends and family also have Verizon. In minutes.