Sigh. This is a discussion point that keeps coming back when following any of the American media sources. Why didn’t Apple come out with a Verizon version? Why doesn’t Apple partner with Verizon? and the many variations on this particular theme.
Stop it.
Apple is a global company.
Apple makes most of its money by selling hardware.
The global cellular telephony standard is GSM.
Verizon is big in the context of the United States, but is small when measured against the rest of the world.
Verizon uses CDMA as their communication standard. CDMA is not GSM compatible.
Ergo, Apple will never build a CDMA device since its only potential clients will be from Verizon (OK, and Telus in Canada).
***
Now with that said, the 4G LTE networks that are the being deployed now by pretty much everyone are based on the same GSM standards with SIM or MicroSIM cards and backwards compatible standard protocols.
Telus accelerated their deployment of GSM compatible LTE coverage because the Winter Olympics came to Canada and they didn’t want to miss out on all of that international roaming revenue. Otherwise Rogers and Fido would still be the only companies in Canada capable of offering the iPhone and the iPad.
So for those of you Verizon customers that want an iPhone, start pushing for the Olympic Games in your home town since all of those athletes and journalists and hangers-on will be coming to town with their iPhones, MacBooks, iPads and GSM based Nokias, HTC’s and Samsungs and that represents a pile ‘o cash to the LTE/GSM cellular provider that’s ready to pick up their calls and data.
Related posts:
iPad round 2 - AT&T vs Verizon
iPad round 3 - Thoughts and reflections