Just days before Verizon and Apple are set to begin general sales of the iPhone 4, Sprint has countered by unveiling an exclusive new Android-powered dual-touchscreen smartphone from Kyocera, a unique device touted as an "industry first."
A closer look inside the new CDMA iPhone 4 for the Verizon network in the U.S. has revealed a new antenna design said to allow improved reception, as well as a different, integrated GPS chip.
iFixit's teardown of the Verizon iPhone 4 reveals the use of Qualcomm's MDM6600 chip, a "world mode" baseband capable of supporting both CDMA/EVDO and GSM/UMTS networks, although the phone is still CDMA-only.
Best Buy retail stores are expected to have dozens of handsets available for this week's launch of the Verizon iPhone 4, while the retailer has also begun to plan shelf space for the anticipated arrival of Apple's white iPhone 4 model.
A customer who was among the first to preorder the new Verizon iPhone 4 picked up their unit on Saturday, while many others hope to receive the handset in the mail on Monday. Also, Apple has added Genius recommendations to its mobile iTunes Store for the iPhone and iPad.
Apple's two US carriers are now fighting to sell users on their version of the iPhone 4, with Verizon touting its network capacity while AT&T stresses network speeds and simultaneous voice and data
Apple prepared 2 million CDMA iPhone 4 units to deliver to Verizon Wireless and its own retail stores through January, manufacturer reports indicate, suggesting that this year's preorders and launch of iPhone 4 on Verizon may actually exceed those of last year's iPhone 4 on AT&T.
Customers who were among the first to order a Verizon-compatible iPhone 4 began receiving notifications on Friday that their handset is scheduled for delivery on Monday, Feb. 7.
The majority of Apple's second-generation iPad models now being built will include either GSM/UMTS or CDMA 3G support, according to checks of overseas manufacturers, suggesting the company plans on forging stronger relationships with wireless carriers alongside the device's introduction.
Verizon on Friday declared that presales of the iPhone 4 exceeded any other launch in the company's history in just the first two hours, though the carrier declined to provide actual sales figures.
Initial demand for the Verizon iPhone is strong, as Apple and Verizon both appear to have run out of pre-sale stock of the new CDMA iPhone and are directing customers to wait until Feb. 9 to purchase the device online or Feb. 10 for in-store purchases.
More than half of Verizon's current Android and Blackberry users indicated they are likely to switch to the iPhone when it arrives on the Verizon network on Feb. 10, according to a new survey.
Verizon subscribers who wasted no time ordering an iPhone 4 on Thursday have already received notification that their order has shipped, though whether the handsets will be delivered before the Feb. 10 launch date remains to be seen.
The top 5 percent of data users on the Verizon Wireless network may see slower throughput speeds, the carrier announced Thursday as it began accepting preorders for the iPhone 4.
Both Apple and Verizon began offering existing Verizon customers the ability to preorder the forthcoming CDMA iPhone 4 right on schedule Thursday, with a delivery date of Feb. 10.
Apple is set to launch iOS 4.2.6 for Verizon's CDMA iPhone 4 on February 10, but a 4.3 update may be made available just days later, bringing Personal Hotspot WiFi sharing to AT&T users.
Hours before preorders begin for the long-awaited Verizon iPhone, the first reviews of the new device have appeared, noting that Verizon's service is a marked improvement over AT&T's, though the carrier's 3G data speeds are slower.
In anticipation of "unprecedented demand" that could outstrip the initial supply of CDMA iPhone 4s, Verizon Wireless has sent a corporate memo strongly urging its employees to hold off on buying the handset for themselves and their families "for the time being."
Apple has reminded the 94 million existing Verizon Wireless customers that they will have an exclusive opportunity to preorder the new iPhone 4 starting Thursday.
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AppleInsider Staff
Katie Marsal
Daniel Eran Dilger
Sam Oliver
Daniel Eran Dilger and Kasper Jade
Josh Ong
