iPhone on Verizon deal - 'up to Apple', carrier states

but but but Apple would never ever insert a CDMA chip in there! It's sooooo hard.

Right, every other manufacturer manages to make GSM and CDMA versions of the same phone but for Apple swapping a chip would just be too burdensome? Give me a break. It doesn't make any business sense not to join up with Verizon after 3 years of AT&T, not only for the increased user base but for the image of the iPhone itself which suffers in the US thanks to AT&T's subpar service.

Apple manages to make several configurations of computers but they couldn't add a CDMA chip to an iPhone or have two versions? Really?

And for those who say CDMA is a dying technology, sure you are right, but the LTE rollout by Verizon will not be done overnight, by the time it fully replaces CDMA it will be years, when 4G is not available it will have to fall back on CDMA 3G just like it falls back on EDGE when 3G is not available. It would be totally absurd for Apple to not make a CDMA version for Verizon.

AT&T doesn't begin testing until 2012. Verizon is probably going to be one of the first companies to begin deployment, and expects a 100% network overlay by 2013. Many EU countries are taking a "wait and see" approach, since new, dedicated bands haven't been established to handle LTE traffic, and they're hoping for a common standard. VZW is pushing with the significant amounts of extremely high quality 700MHz spectrum it invested a few years back. LTE iPhones probably won't be a reality until 2011/2012, realistically. Bell Canada and Telus joint venture are currently overlaying WCDMA over their existing network, and will pick up the iPhone later this year. Verizon **MAY** be keeping quiet a similar strategy along side their LTE deployment which is set to begin en masse Q1 2010, but that seems equally unlikely. I think the Verizon/Apple deal won't happen until LTE is a wide standard, but the hiring of CDMA engineers may hint otherwise. Still, Apple has invested heavily in architectures it's abandoned in the past, ZFS being the most recent example. I'm quite sure there's already a CDMA capable iPhone sitting in labs somewhere, but it's chances of production are probably somewhat limited, seeming how everything seems to pointing in the opposite direction. This is, however, the most newsworthy VZW mention I've seen in a LONG time.

The fact of the matter is that Verizon's technology is going away. Very few other carriers in the world use so-called CDMA, and very few phones are made for the technology. Furthermore, the technology has pretty stunning limitations, like "no data when on a call".

Verizon itself says that its changing to LTE in 2010. It's 2009 now. Why spend the money and resources for a small percentage of 85 million customers who will want the device for less than a year?

In terms of comparing the RIM against Apple, remember this: Almost all RIM devices are available on GSM before Verizon. Are you a Verizon customer with a BB Bold? It's a hell of a lot better than the Storm, and how many months did it take to appear in CDMA form after the GSM version was on the market? Try 18?

Ouch.

Expect fewer "CDMA" handsets, not more. "CDMA" is in its sunset.

I don't think that CDMA vs. WCDMA/UTMS is what is keeping the 2010 version of the iPhone off of Verizon. As I stated before, one chip can provide access to both technologies. The biggest thing keeping the iPhone off of Verizon is that Verizon requires its own App store to be the one and only app store to ship with all of its phones. Apple will never allow this because it would compromise iPhone security and its ability to control the iPhone user experience. The iPhone will not be on Verizon until Verizon changes this policy.