It seems like the holy grail of consumer wireless technology: The top-selling smartphone in the U.S. connected to the high-speed network of the wireless carrier often rated most reliable.
And if the latest rumor is true, it already exists. A blog that covers Apple products says Verizon Wireless already has a version of the iPhone that will work on its newly launched Long Term Evolution 4G network as well as on the more widely available 3G system.
Post-Christmas Release?
Neither Verizon nor Apple has confirmed widespread reports that the iPhone will be available via Verizon early next year, a development that would break three years of exclusive U.S. distribution of the popular iPhone through AT&T.
But MacDailyNews said Verizon is already training managers to prepare for an iPhone release after Christmas — the delay possibly being a concession to AT&T to avoid hurting its holiday iPhone sales. The blog, quoting what it said was a single reliable unnamed source, said the iPhone will be Verizon’s only available LTE-equipped phone and will not be shipped to third-party retailers to avoid leaks.
Because the LTE network only covers 38 major U.S. markets, the report said, the new iPhone would also contain a chip for compatibility with the current 3G CDMA network footprint.
“We don’t comment on rumor or speculation,” a Verizon spokesperson told us in an e-mail.
The report is unique in asserting that a Verizon iPhone would be 4G-capable. In a conference call with reporters earlier this month announcing the initial LTE rollout for computers equipped with high-speed data modems, Verizon Vice President Tony Melone said the company will introduce LTE-capable phones after the Consumer Electronics Show in February for release later next year.
While it makes sense for Apple to want a high-speed network for its data-hungry phones — Verizon says its network will deliver download speeds…