Verizon Wireless expected to unveil iPhone this week

by Steven Mostyn - Jan 10 2011, 09:48

If current reports are to be believed, the iPhone’s popularity in the U.S. is set to increase significantly this week as AT&T is finally joined by Verizon Wireless in carrying Apple’s iconic smartphone.

Whispers of the iPhone’s imminent arrival via Verizon began gathering momentum earlier this morning when the telecoms giant dispatched press invitations highlighting a mystery event scheduled for 11 a.m. PST on Tuesday.

Although Verizon has not officially revealed the focus of its media gathering, tech magazine AllThingsD claims Verizon president Lowell McAdam and Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs will be in attendance.

According to analysts cited in a Wall Street Journal report, up to 12 million customers will snap up an iPhone through Verizon during 2011, which is almost as many as AT&T secured during 2010.

With Android smartphones steadily increasing their grip in the marketplace, iPhone availability through Verizon is potentially a very good move on Apple’s part, not least because Consumer Reports recently labelled Verizon the nation’s top mobile provider—while AT&T emerged as the worst.  

In reacting to the possible arrival of Verizon’s iPhone, AT&T’s head of public relations, Larry Solomon, has suggested iPhone users may not be ready “for life in the slow lane” due to the restrictive CDMA connectivity of Verizon’s handset.

And, considering that smartphones with 4G LTE networking occupied much of the spotlight during last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it remains to be seen just how many consumers will be willing to accept comparatively sluggish performance.

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