Everyone is referring to the the next iteration of Apple's smartphone as the iPhone 4G, 4G in this instance standing for 'fourth generation'. However, recent reports suggest the iPhone 4G may actually be a 4G LTE device. Engadget reports getting several tips about this year's iPhone launching as Verizon's first 4G smartphone.
" … This is pretty difficult to believe and we don't want to get your hopes up only to have them smashed into a million pieces -- it'll supposedly even be a 4G launch device," writes Chris Ziegler. "We've gotten surprisingly specific details both from Verizon employees and tipsters whose companies are supposedly under NDA with Verizon to test enterprise deployments of the handset later this year, and they're all sending basically this same message."
Engadget goes on to say that this isn't going to be an LTE exclusive (rather LTE is just being included as a publicity stunt) and that because Verizon's LTE coverage is likely to be very patchy at launch there's little doubt that this would be a CDMA/LTE dual-mode deal capable of working anywhere on the carrier's network.
If it's true, it's bad news for AT&T, which up until now has been the exclusive carrier in the U.S. However, Ziegler highlights Apple's habit of only pushing out minor hardware updates each year and suggests that Cupertino could opt for CDMA this year and leave the LTE update until June 2011.
