Verizon CEO hopes Apple will offer iPhone for its 4G network
Verizon's chief executive said this week he hopes Apple will build an iPhone compatible with his company's forthcoming 4G LTE network, downplaying rumors of an iPhone launch on his company's existing CDMA network in early 2011.
Ivan Seidenberg made the comments Thursday at an investor conference, according to The Associated Press. Though he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current CDMA network, he said he hopes Apple will allow Verizon to sell a smartphone for its forthcoming long-term evolution 4G network.
The CEO's comments come as rumors have steadily built for months that Apple is prepared to launch a Verizon-compatible CDMA iPhone in early 2011. This week, overseas suppliers indicated to one Wall Street analyst that Apple will begin manufacturing a CDMA iPhone in December of this year.
Reports of a January 2011 launch began in June, when Bloomberg said it was told Apple would start selling a CDMA handset at the start of next year. Assuming the handset would run on the Verizon network, it would mark the end of exclusivity in the U.S. for AT&T.
In terms of customers, Verizon is the largest wireless carrier in the U.S. Both it and rival AT&T are currently building their 4G networks.
AT&T announced last week that its LTE network is on track for a mid-2011 launch. Verizon, on the other hand, said it will launch its own LTE network in 30 National Football League cities in the U.S. by the end of 2010.
Ivan Seidenberg made the comments Thursday at an investor conference, according to The Associated Press. Though he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current CDMA network, he said he hopes Apple will allow Verizon to sell a smartphone for its forthcoming long-term evolution 4G network.
The CEO's comments come as rumors have steadily built for months that Apple is prepared to launch a Verizon-compatible CDMA iPhone in early 2011. This week, overseas suppliers indicated to one Wall Street analyst that Apple will begin manufacturing a CDMA iPhone in December of this year.
Reports of a January 2011 launch began in June, when Bloomberg said it was told Apple would start selling a CDMA handset at the start of next year. Assuming the handset would run on the Verizon network, it would mark the end of exclusivity in the U.S. for AT&T.
In terms of customers, Verizon is the largest wireless carrier in the U.S. Both it and rival AT&T are currently building their 4G networks.
AT&T announced last week that its LTE network is on track for a mid-2011 launch. Verizon, on the other hand, said it will launch its own LTE network in 30 National Football League cities in the U.S. by the end of 2010.
Comments
Mr. Seidenberg declined to comment on speculation that Verizon Wireless would get the iPhone some time next year. "I can't speak for Apple," he said.
Maybe by the time LTE gets going, Verizon might let Steve Jobs have his way. But not now.
I would think Apple will come up with the compatible phone. But they will put it out only to whomever goes the Apple Way or the Highway.
he seems to be one of the impediments for a deal with apple.
It could hurt Android sales a bit if people know for sure the iPhone is coming soon. And could hurt iPhone sales with AT&T which wouldn't sit well with Apple.
Verizon's chief executive said this week he hopes Apple will build an iPhone compatible with his company's forthcoming 4G LTE network, downplaying rumors of an iPhone launch on his company's existing CDMA network in early 2011.
Ivan Seidenberg made the comments Thursday at an investor conference, according to The Associated Press. Though he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current CDMA network, he said he hopes Apple will allow Verizon to sell a smartphone for its forthcoming long-term evolution 4G network.
I find these statements to be contradictory. If he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current network, how could he have been downplaying any rumors? Another interpretation of his silence on a CDMA iPhone is that he was carefully avoiding saying anything so as not to screw up the deal. Saying he would like to sell a 4G iPhone is safe and will not endanger any 4th quarter 2010 sales of their current handsets.
I find these statements to be contradictory. If he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current network, how could he have been downplaying any rumors? Another interpretation of his silence on a CDMA iPhone is that he was carefully avoiding saying anything so as not to screw up the deal. Saying he would like to sell a 4G iPhone is safe and will not endanger any 4th quarter 2010 sales of their current handsets.
Basically you nailed it. It's an investor's conference.
I find these statements to be contradictory. If he said nothing about an iPhone being built for his company's current network, how could he have been downplaying any rumors? Another interpretation of his silence on a CDMA iPhone is that he was carefully avoiding saying anything so as not to screw up the deal. Saying he would like to sell a 4G iPhone is safe and will not endanger any 4th quarter 2010 sales of their current handsets.
We're the ones rumoring, not him. He's not participating in the rumor discussion at all. His not mentioning a CDMA iPhone results in the downplay of -our- discussion.
Now that we are quickly approaching the often rumored "introduction date" and there will be no product launch they can go on record as saying, "We never said we would be getting the iPhone 4." It is an easy way for them to push waiting hopefuls out another few months to see what happens.
My wife and I may jump ship if that day ever comes, but for now I'm going to enjoy my iPhone 4 not worrying about the what-ifs.
Still cannot see Apple and Verizon being able to get along.
Maybe by the time LTE gets going, Verizon might let Steve Jobs have his way. But not now.
Agreed. Verizon (an ugly company, BTW) wants to load its usual bloatware and saddle the iPhone with its own obnoxious branding. They need to hear 'Why don't you carry iPhones?' a few million more times before they'll agree to Apple's terms.
There is no way that APPLE needs Verizon as much as Verizon needs APPLE.
Hard to believe that APPLE would release a CDMA IPHONE in January before Verizons LTE network is up an running or IN THE MIDDLE OF A PRODUCT CYCLE. Meaning 6 months into IPHONE4 and 6 months before IPHONE 5.
So for those of you that may have bought an Android-based phone from Verizon... What, if anything, has Verizon done to it? Does it come bone stock from the manufacturer? Or does Verizon litter it with its own applications/widgets/etc. Is there Verizon branding all over it? I'm just trying to imagine what Verizon might try to demand out of Apple.
There is a verizon logo and a lightly populated verizon app store on all of them, and some have the search engine set to Bing. They still have the google app store and whatever UI mods the handset maker chose to add on top of Android. The situation is a far cry from 2007.
On the flip side, verizon has a bunch of hit phones now and they also have a slower 3G technology. They may not want the iphone 4 to show up with a bunch of side by side network comparisons that attack their very valuable superior network reputation. If they wait for LTE these issues will no longer exist. I would think late 2011 to mid 2012 would be a decent guess for timing of a Verizon LTE phone, but that could change depending on the quality of LTE chipsets available to Apple, the timing of VoLTE rollouts for the carriers, and the general market demand for LTE.
If Apple were to release a Verizon iPhone anytime soon, it would spend most of its time working with the CDMA network. Just like Sprint and that HTC phone that's advertised as the "first 4G phone," what they don't tell you is that the 4G coverage is so weak that most people who own it leave 4G turned off and use regular old EV-DO 3G data instead. That will be your experience with an LTE phone in the forseeable future.
There is no way that APPLE needs Verizon as much as Verizon needs APPLE.
Funny, but it looks like Verizon is doing just fine with the Android thing. They have little need for the iPhone right now. At this point, it seems to me like it would be nice for Apple to sell a few more phones by adding another U.S. carrier, but hardly a need until they have more phones than they can sell. It would be nice for Verizon to be able to get a chunk of new customers by carrying the iPhone, but they are hardly struggling without it.
The iPhone is no longer the only game in town like it was in 2007-2008. I still think the iPhone 4 is the best phone on the market right now, but I am not sure that will be the case in 12-18 months. There is not much I can do with the iPhone that I could not do on an Android phone. The biggest difference is in refinement and I expect Android will keep improving in that area.