subject: Verizon To Announce Cdma Iphone 4 On Tuesday [print this page] The report said the new deal will "upend the balance of power in the industry, ending Verizon rival AT&T Inc.'s exclusive hold on the device and leaving smaller players like Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA facing two well-capitalized competitors offering the world's most popular smartphone."
Citing "people familiar with the matter," the report said that while "it wasn't immediately clear when Verison would have the devices in its stores," the carrier would be announcing details in its press conference scheduled for next Tuesday in New York.
It also said the device "would be similar to the existing iPhone 4, but run on the carrier's CDMA technology." Verizon made a big splash at CES surrounding its "4G" LTE deployment plans, but that new network won't be available for voice calls until 2012.
Impact on AT&T, other US carriers
The report noted that Apple's exclusive deal with AT&T, which started in 2007, "has fueled much of the carrier's subscriber growth and has given it a solid lead in smartphone customers."
Additionally, it noted that "the arrangement between Apple and AT&T was groundbreaking at a time when carriers tightly controlled the appearance and function of their phones, and put Silicon Valley companies like Apple and Google in the wireless industry's driver's seat."
At the same time, while "Apple feels it has had tremendous success through its exclusive relationship with AT&T," the report stated, "it recognized that it needs to partner with Verizon to grow sales faster in the US." A note filed by analyst Shaw Wu of Kaufman Bros in December said the carrier was "still excited" about launching Apple's iPhone early next year "to combat slowing Android momentum in the US."
