14 DAY TRIAL // We already reported before that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg stated in an interview that the company planned to add an iPhone to its lineup, and not just any iPhone, but one that would work on its upcoming 4G networks, and now we learn that Verizon and Apple are indeed in talks for the launch of the handset with the carrier next year.
It’s true that said talks might remain in the rumor area, as there are no further details regarding such deal or the handset that should become available on Verizon's airwaves in 2010, yet it has been suggested that the phone could come as a CDMA device that would sport compatibility with Verizon’s existing network, meaning that it would come with EVDO for 3G Internet access.
Undoubtedly, these features would enable a broad coverage, yet we should also take into consideration the fact that Verizon plans to move to the next-generation 4G networks (LTE) starting next year, which means that 3G does not have too much time left to live.
On the other hand, AT&T, the mobile phone carrier that inked the deal with Apple for the distribution of the iPhone in the US, has been reported to be trying to convince the device maker to extend their partnership up to 2011, which, in case it succeeds, would put an end to Verizon's hopes at least until its own 4G network is ready to roll.
AT&T's exclusivity on the iPhone ends at about the same time Verizon intends to roll out its LTE network, and having a compatible iPhone added to its offering will certainly boost the carrier's sales. One way or another, 4G networks will be deployed starting next year, and a compatible iPhone will come to the market as well, no matter the carrier that will have it.