Verizon is talking up its 4G LTE network, and Sprint already has its 4G WiMax up and running in several cities. T-Mobile is currently selling HSPA+ handsets and AT&T is planning an LTE rollout for sometime in 2011. With all of the major service providers going '4G' it's not surprising to see so many 4G handsets hitting the shelves. However, it seems fans of the smartphone that launched a thousand smartphones won't be availing of the new network technology anytime soon.
TechCrunch's Steve Cheney has said that speculation, or rather hope, that the much-rumored Verizon iPhone will take advantage of the carrier's 4G network is false. Not only that but Cheney says Apple will be passing on all 4G networks in 2011. That means next June, when Apple is announcing the new iPhone and all networks are touting 4G technology, the new, revamped iPhone 4 won't be an iPhone 4G.
"Sources tell me that the iPhone refresh in mid-2011 won’t support LTE either," writes Steve. "Instead, Apple will produce a dual mode iPhone containing 3G flavors of GSM and CDMA, which operates on all carriers worldwide. If this holds true, Apple won’t support the LTE standard until some time in 2012."
Although disappointing, it does make sense. As Cheney points out, Apple's first iPhone wasn't a 3G device, despite the fact that there was widespread support for 3G devices in early 2007. The 3G iPhone didn't come a year later, until 2008.
Source: TechCrunch
