Verizon is looking at getting to LTE to 100% cover their current CDMA map by 2013.

I don't know if LTE is backwards compatible with CDMA but I am guessing no.

Apple's cycle for iPhones is June/July each year, and I don't expect them to roll out an LTE phone this year. Even if they did,, with the presumed incompatibility with CDMA, the iPhone would only work in certain markets, and fully by 2013. I don't see Apple wanting users to have a bad experience because of a network issue.

So, I come back to Apple needing to have a CDMA chip in the iPhone to get it compatible if it is going to have a reasonably servicable phone on the verizon network over the next 3 years.

These are the kind of numbers I was hoping to eventually see. Such numbers would imply that Apple would be might be willing to dump the exclusivity with AT&T to bring in more cash.


Sadly though, in the US, the iPhone would only get to run on T-Mobile and AT&T. Unless, of course, a CDMA chipset ends up in the next gen iPhone. We'll see I guess.

Very informative, I would however like to ask a question for clarification.
You mentioned micro USB has to go since it was proprietary. Why?

I thought micro USB was a standard that phone manufacturers were moving towards. Mainly because the port can tolerate a larger number insertions and removals of charging cables, etc than its predecessor mini USB.

I'm shopping phones and would be grateful for a response. Thanks.

Nilay,

As an attorney, software developer, and gadget nut, I love your posts.

Rock on.

These kind of tactics are indicative of a broken business model. Instead of innovating, they are working to protect what they have in a way that alienates their customers.

Pathetic.

No wifi, no deal.

The battery life is what keeps me on the bench with Palm. I;ve seen first hand the low battery lif of the pre. I want none of it. I do love the OS.

Yet, battery trumps OS when the phone can't last 24 hours. I forget to charge every night, and I don't want to be bothered with second batteries, or a dead phone.

I agree with your sentiments. I think I'd rather see Engadget publish the total cost. Instead of writing "Palm Pixi on sale November 15 exclusively at Sprint for $100 on contract" I would rather see, "Palm Pixi on sale November 15 exclusively at Sprint starting at $1780."

It is much more honest, however, when using this to compare against the iPhone, it doesn't work as well. The iPhone 3GS comes in at $1880 for total cost, but the service doesn't include any text messaging unlike Sprints unlimited plan.

Given that I would appreciate some more data in the summary if not necessarily in the title.

These are some really great tidbits from Mr. Hesse. I've been following Spring a lot more since we added a Pre to the house, and I hacked my iPhone for T-Mobile pre-paid.

He is absolutely right about the battery problem. Just look at the pre for example: battery life is just not that great. Yet people want the full features and not have to keep their phone tethered to a power source.

We the addition of the free mobile-mobile, Hesse is getting to be pretty amazing strategist.

Holy, wow.

Someday, I'll win something. This looks good to me.