Could the iPhone launch with one phone on Verizon, AT, Sprint and T-Mobile in the US?
I am asking technologically- now that Qualcom has a chipset that can do both cdma and gsm, is there technologically any reason why they could not produce one handset and allow any carrier to activate it? As in, is it technically possible that they could launch the iphone on the remaining three networks, simultaneously, instead of just Verizon?
I mean, I guess in a dream world I buy one phone and a carrier subsidizes the phone price. And then, when I am either done with their contract or want to take it somewhere else and pay an etf, I go to the carrier of my choice... and the chipset in that one phone works on all carriers...
If Apple pulled this off it would be a major power grab from the carriers, and a real win for consumers. I don't want to hear any "arm chair telecom CEO" comments about market share or whatever, I just want to know- is the Qualcom chipset capable of being used on all networks in the US?
I mean, I guess in a dream world I buy one phone and a carrier subsidizes the phone price. And then, when I am either done with their contract or want to take it somewhere else and pay an etf, I go to the carrier of my choice... and the chipset in that one phone works on all carriers...
If Apple pulled this off it would be a major power grab from the carriers, and a real win for consumers. I don't want to hear any "arm chair telecom CEO" comments about market share or whatever, I just want to know- is the Qualcom chipset capable of being used on all networks in the US?