If Verizon Wireless does what it’s expected to do tomorrow and announces plans to finally launch Apple Inc.’s iPhone on its network there will be a collective sigh of relief throughout much of the wireless industry.
For the better part of at least the last couple years, the most frequently asked question in mobile has been: “When is Verizon Wireless getting the iPhone?” Come tomorrow, that question should be answered once and for all.
In true pre-Apple announcement fashion, every analyst, mobile junkie and Apple fanboy is making claims as to what Apple and Verizon Wireless will announce tomorrow at a press event scheduled for 11 a.m. (EST) in New York City.
Nothing will really be known for sure until then, but here is a round-up of some of the latest predictions:
–Almost everyone expects Verizon Wireless’ version of the iPhone to come out later this month or in early February, but many are starting to circle Feb. 3 on their calendars as the launch date.
–Verizon Wireless is expected to offer its existing unlimited data plan to iPhone users, according to The Wall Street Journal.
–Since almost everyone expects Verizon Wireless’ first iPhone to be CDMA only, the biggest surprise of all would be if the carrier launched an LTE-capable version of Apple’s hit device.
–The number of iPhones projected to be sold by Verizon Wireless in 2011 is all over the map. Some analysts are pegging their number closer to five million, while the upper-end of predictions peg the year-long number as high as 13 million. Numbers are one thing, but most industry watchers will be particularly keeping an eye on Android sales following the iPhone’s introduction. If Apple’s device cannibalizes some of the other devices that Verizon Wireless is planning to sell in the coming months, it could deal a noticeable blow to Android’s momentum.
–Finally, while AT&T Mobility has enjoyed a nearly four-year run as the exclusive provider for the iPhone in the United States, it is beginning to show some signs of desperation. In a note to Business Insider, AT&T’s PR rep Larry Soloman wrote: “The iPhone is built for speed, but that’s not what you get with a CDMA phone. I’m not sure iPhone users are ready for life in the slow lane.”
~ RCR Wireless News will be reporting live from Verizon Wireless’ event tomorrow morning. Check back here for details as they come in.
