Apple released its first iPhone on 29 June 2024 on AT&T which was compatible with GSM networks however Apple also released a CDMA iPhone 4 compatible for Verizon's CDMA network on 10 February 2011. However the company has never before made an iPhone comaptible for both GSM and CDMA networks. According to a report, the iPhone 5 will be a dual mode meaning it will run on both GSM as well as CDMA networks. This has been rumored before and has supposedly been confirmed by a Verizon executive.
According to TechCrunch and the app usage logs they were given by a developer of some of the most popular apps on the App Store, Apple is testing some popular apps on an iPhone 5 running iOS 5 and app usage logs indicate that the device is a dual-mode one, meaning that it can work simultaneously on GSM and CDMA networks. This is actually the first time that solid proof has come forward indicating a dual-mode iPhone 5.
Never before has an iPhone been compatible with both networks standards. Though now it looks like Apple has plans to make the iPhone 5 a global phone. According to a survey, 73% of Americans want a phone running on GSM as well as CDMA. This dual mode feature is bound to be very good for business. It will specially be very appealing to those who tend to travel a lot. This is because travelling with a CDMA phone will not allow the user to use the phone in certain countries as there are a whole lot of countries where CDMA networks are not available.
However, one can only speculate as to how carriers will respond to an iPhone that can switch network standards in the blink of an eye. For example in USA, AT&T is one of the largest GSM network whereas the CDMA territory is closely guarded by Verizon Wireless and Sprint. By releasing a dual-mode iPhone 5, Apple will very well capture the market of Sprint and T-Mobile USA but is also likely to piss off key AT&T and Verizon Wireless executives.
If iPhone 5 will be launched this October with all of the above mentioned possibilities, then that would diminish the chances of it being an LTE 4G iPhone. This might be a turnoff to some people who would be more interested in having a phone with faster access to the internet, rather then having a global running phone.
Tell us, what iPhone would you prefer?