(Updated: Video and Gallery) Apple's iPhone 4 Coming to Verizon Early Next Month, With Wireless Hotspot
by Anand Lal Shimpi on January 11, 2011 10:50 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- iPhone 4
- Verizon
- Mobile
Well, it's official - Verizon is getting the iPhone 4. The Apple/Verizon relationship developed over the last two years. The two companies began technical discussions starting in 2008 about bringing the iPhone to Verizon. The phone then spent a year in testing and design and starting early next month, the iPhone 4 will come to Verizon.
The Apple/Verizon relationship is formalized in a multi-year, non-exclusive agreement. However we have no additional details, including whether or not release schedules will be synchronized with AT&T.
At Verizon's press conference there's a lot of mutual respect sharing between the two companies. It looks like there's a desire to establish that these two companies want to work together and will continue to going forward.
Existing VZW customers will be able to pre-order the iPhone 4 online on February 3rd, 2010. A week later, on February 10th, everyone will be able to order the Verizon iPhone 4 both online and in Verizon stores as well as at the Apple store (both online and at physical stores).
The phone will sell for $199.99 for a 16GB version, and $299.99 for the 32GB version. The Verizon iPhone 4 will feature wireless hotspot capabilities allowing you to connect up to 5 devices to it over WiFi. Verizon indicated that you wouldn't be able to use voice and data simultaneously, consistent with other CDMA devices on its network.
More as we get it.
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curtisfong - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
VZ won't let you.B-Unit - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
Not accurate. Its a limitation of CDMA technology. Has nothing to do with VZ 'letting' you.zorxd - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
Which means that CDMA2000/EVDO is not even 3G.So we have 2G branded as 3G, and 3G branded as 4G.
mcnabney - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
CDMA/EVDO was designed to have non-concurrently functioning radios. It is not possible to run the CDMA and EVDO radios at the same time. Do you actually think that Sprint and Verizon would want this?The 4G LTE radios function just fine when talking on the phone.
Guspaz - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
It's a policy/software limitation. Other than the fact that there are hardware workarounds, there are also software workarounds, such IP-based VoIP (either full-time or as a handoff when data is requested). This is made practical by EV-DO rev. A (which allows reduced latency by adding QoS, among other things), which Verizon deployed network-wide three and a half years ago.solipsism - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
Sure, there is Qualcomm’s QChat specifically designed for this, which uses many of the same protocols that is in FaceTime (it’s video -AND- voice) as well as others, but that doesn’t mean it’s feasible. There are a lot of tradeoffs when you start using your IP data connection for voice.There is potentially worse QoS which can affect call quality and put it into a category worse than AT&T’s call quality on GSM and even making the iPhone itself look like the culprit.
Then there is battery usage for a 1 hour call using VoRA (VoIP over EV-DO Rev. A v. CDMA). Battery life is at the center of Apple’s checklist. Now, having a Settings option to dis/enable SV&D with a disclaimer stating the additional drain on the battery for calls might be something they’d be okay with… maybe not.
That’s not to say they won’t enable this, but it does require both the vendor and carrier to work together, something Apple and Verizon appear to be doing. Maybe for iOS 5.0 this will be a feature for the CDMA version on Verizon… maybe not.
The only thing we can know for sure is that it’s a complex scenario that we can’t completely answer.
MeanBruce - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
This is great news for everyone, except AT&T. Although most Verizon customers will most likely wait until iPhone 5 to jump on board. Any word on 4G for the new Apple? Phone 5's debut will mark the first time Apple has ever had any real competition so expect the next iPhone to be Fully-Loaded! Apple is going to blow our minds I do believe, $200 burning a hole in my pocket right now!7Enigma - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
Haha $200! For an Apple product at release??! Just....wow...Yuniverse - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
??? what does that mean? I got my 3GS and 4G iPhones at $200 at release.vol7ron - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - link
Right, verizon probably wants more $$ hence the $100 difference :)