Apple iPhone 4 on Verizon rumors rife

By Richi Jennings. August 17, 2010.

Ah, August; how do I love thee? We're hearing more and more echo-chamber-style rumors of upcoming Apple iPhone 4 for Verizon Wireless plans -- or perhaps for other CDMA networks. Rampant rumor-mongers "reveal" they found "evidence" in iOS they say is "proof" of a CDMA iPhone 4. In "IT Blogwatch", bloggers "disassemble" the assembler (but hopefully not "dissemble").

Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your "entertainment". Not to mention the airborne pillow fight...
(AAPL) (VZ) (VOD)

Hurrah! Jonathan S. Geller has stopped using the word "connect" as a noun:

One of our Apple sources has just informed us of something very interesting. Way down deep within iOS 4 is a pretty intriguing block of code ... if the device is either a CDMA iPhone or iPad 2, the device will auto-activate. ... This block of code has appeared every ... [time] before a major iPhone / device release. ... This allows the products to be field tested ... without having to activate.
...
We’ve been told from a separate source that the platform code of the CDMA iPhone is N92AP ... and the platform code for the next-gen iPod touch is N81AP.

Mark Gurman 'splains (what a way to make a living):

The block of code ... bypasses the need for the usual iOS device activation ... so testers can get to their job quicker. Activations are a pain!
...
That means a device which requires activation is being tested right about now and should be heading our way soon. ... Smaller iPad?  iPod 3G? or CDMA iPhone?

Doug Aamoth urges caution:

The key here is the "CDMA" part ... code division multiple access—the protocol that the Verizon network uses. ... So whenever anyone catches wind of CDMA and iPhone in the same sentence, it's "Here comes the Verizon iPhone!!!" ... [But] there are [other] CDMA-based mobile operators. ... In the US, we have Sprint and Verizon as the two dominant CDMA networks along with a handful of smaller regional carriers.
...
All the CDMA talk could just point to an iPhone to be released on a CDMA network somewhere else in the world.

And Sam Oliver shoots the messenger:

[Geller] has had a respectable track record ... but some ... rumors have been less than accurate. ... [He] incorrectly indicated iTunes 9 would add Blu-ray ... and said Apple would create a social media consolidation application, both times citing a "reliable" source.
...
[Geller] also inaccurately hinted that a Verizon announcement would coincide with Apple's introduction of the iPad ... that a Verizon-compatible CDMA iPad with 4G LTE was being tested ... that a CDMA iPhone and iPad would likely arrive "very soon" ... that a cloud-based iTunes service was "definitely happening soon."

Andrew Lyle has déjà vu:

If you've heard this one before, stop me now. ... The snippet of code is said to turn up within the firmware every year. ... Back in April, evidence of “iProd2,1” and three instances of the iPhone, “iPhone3,1”, “iPhone3,2” and “iPhone3,3” turned up. ... iPhone3,1 turned out to be the iPhone 4, so these ... could prove that Apple is set to release a CDMA version. ... iProd was code for the iPad, so Apple might be testing the next edition of the device.
...
But as always with Apple, they won't reveal anything until days before the unit is scheduled to ship.

But Jared Newman is 99% sold on the idea:

Over the last few months, the tech press has grown wary of Verizon iPhone rumors, which usually quote anonymous sources or analyst speculation with no supporting evidence. The latest volley is different. ... They make the strongest case yet for a January Verizon iPhone launch.

 
And Finally...
Flying on European airlines is so much more fun
[hat tip: Queen Pickle]
 
 
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Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and security. A cross-functional IT geek since 1985, you can follow him as @richi on Twitter, pretend to be richij's friend on Facebook, or just use good old email: itbw@richij.com.

You can also read Richi's full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.