Verizon iPhone 4 in 2010: top six questions and answers

Verizon customers (and to a lesser extent, current iPhone users fed up with AT&T) want to know when the iPhone is coming to Verizon. Good luck with that one, as there is no official information on that particular question one way or the other. But aside from the one unanswerable question, here are the answers to the rest of the Verizon iPhone puzzle:

Would a Verizon iPhone in 2010 be the same as the current iPhone 4? Yes and no. Because AT&T and Verizon have incompatible networks (the incompatibility actually has nothing to do with Apple itself), the current iPhone has an AT&T-compatible antenna built in. Although Apple has reportedly been trying to develop a cross-compatible hybrid antenna since 2007, there’s still no such thing. So if a Verizon-compatible iPhone 4 does come to market, it’ll look the same as the current iPhone 4, but it’ll have different antenna technology built in – meaning that a Verizon iPhone 4 wouldn’t work on AT&T’s network.

Will it be that way forever? Not quite. Both AT&T and Verizon are expected to move to 4G networking technology in sometime in 2011, meaning that once it happens, a future iPhone model could theoretically include one antenna that would work on either network. But that would still leave questions of backwards compatibility for those areas in which a 4G signal wouldn’t be available. Consider that at present, the prevailing 3G network is still only available in more urban areas, with those in the middle of nowhere relying on the previous generation networking for connectivity; the same could happen with 4G prevailing in populated areas, but 3G still being the only signal available in smaller towns.

Would current iPhone 4 users switch over to Verizon in 2010 in droves? No, at least not at first. With iPhone users under contract with AT&T for a period of two years forward from the purchase of their iPhone (meaning that most iPhone users are still under contract) and an early termination fee of as much as $325, it’s unlikely that more than a few AT&T iPhone users would immediately jump to Verizon. That could change as those users’ AT&T contracts begin expiring, but studies have consistently shown that iPhone users don’t have nearly as many problems with AT&T as Verizon customers seem to think iPhone users are having with AT&T. There’s also that compatibility thing; current AT&T iPhone users might have to buy a different iPhone model just to switch to Verizon. Welcome to the state of cellular networks in 2010.

But what about that 2012 AT&T exclusivity date that keeps getting tossed around? Could that be bypassed in 2010? It was true back in 2007, but that’s about all we know for sure. Documents recently surfaced showing that the original Apple-AT&T exclusivity contract was in fact a five year deal, but no information has surfaced regarding whether the original 2007 deal has since been altered, or whether there are any out-clauses on Apple’s end, or what they might be. Can Apple buy its way out of the deal any time it wants? We don’t know. Has the deal perhaps already been automatically voided or shortened by the fact that AT&T has come up so short on so many iPhone related goals? We don’t know that either. The fact that the original deal was intended to run through 2012 is just one more piece of information that may or may not still be relevant here in 2010.

Does Verizon still want the iPhone here in 2010? Of course. Verizon has done alright for itself with the Droid, but the iPhone reigns supreme in the hearts and minds of most consumers, even those who don’t own any smartphone. We hear all the time from Verizon customers who are still using a flip-phone and want an iPhone (and have no interest in the Droid) but are still still willing to stick it out a little longer on Verizon to see if the iPhone finally comes their way. If not, they say they’ll eventually bite the bullet and move to AT&T just to get the iPhone. Verizon knows these customers exist in large numbers, and obviously doesn’t want to lose them.

Will Verizon be the first U.S. carrier to get the iPhone besides AT&T? No way of knowing. Verizon is far larger than Sprint or T-Mobile, making it the more sensible carrier to expand to first from a pure number standpoint. But there are other factors involved, including a carrier’s willingness to work with Apple on things like ensuring that the carrier is willing to provide iPhone customers with adequate access to decent amounts of data bandwidth (which AT&T has fallen down on), additional features (which AT&T has also fallen down on), and just importantly, a network strong enough to support the massive influx of data-chewing iPhones without bringing the whole network to its knees (come to think of it, not AT&T’s strong suit here either). A carrier’s ability to provide Apple with guarantees about quality of experience are not the same thing as said carrier’s willingness to do so.

So when is the iPhone coming to Verizon? Will it happen in 2010 Nice try, but you already asked your six questions. Suffice it to say that if anyone claims to know for sure when it’s going to happen, it’s probably best to ignore that person completely – unless his name is Steve Jobs. But even Jobs, who would ultimately be the one to make the decision on this, sounds like he hasn’t made his mind up based on the few intentionally cryptic comments he’s made on the subject. provided No store-level or support-level employee of Verizon, AT&T, or Apple would have any accurate knowledge on this topic whatsoever – so if any employee tries to claim otherwise, it’s either because they read and believe the rumor sites, or because they’re trying to make a sale and they’re hoping you’ll believe whatever made-up information they’re feeding you. So while we can’t answer your question about when the Verizon iPhone might be happening, if it’s any consolation, rest assured that neither can anyone else.