The Ultimate Guide To The Verizon iPhone

“Today we’re partnering with a giant of the industry, and that’s Apple.”

And with that, Verizon’s Lowell Macadam officially welcomed the Apple iPhone 4 onto their network. Apparently Apple has been testing a CDMA-based iPhone 4 on the Verizon network for the past year.

It wasn’t leaked out this time… no one left one at a bar by mistake. Although you probably couldn’t tell the difference if the guy next to you was using his iPhone on Verizon or AT&T (unless his calls don’t drop as much, zing!).

There’s good and bad news. In a nutshell, Verizon’s iPhone is going to be a crippled version (no data+voice simultaneously) at the same price. It’ll be worthwhile to wait for a 4G/LTE-compatible version of the iPhone due out later this year.

There are some important things to know about the iPhone 4 (current model, not some new iPhone 5 device) being on Verizon and here they are:

• On February 3rd existing Verizon customers will have an opportunity to pre-order… on February 10th, everyone will be able to order online, in stores, or in Apple stores.
• It’ll be $199 for the 16GB, $299 for 32GB — mobile hotspot included! You can connect 5 Wi-Fi devices to the phone.
• It might end up on OTHER networks too. Verizon has a multi-year but non-exclusive agreement.
• It has all the features that you’d expect. Like FaceTime. Features like Apple’s Retina Display, 5 megapixel camera, HD video, the custom A4 chip and more.
• The Verizon iPhone is available to existing and new customers.
• Verizon employees are ready,they ‘ve been scaling shipping systems and inventory systems.
• Verizon really wants you to know they’re ready for the onslaught of data usage. Lowell emphasized that new customers will not hit the network and create the kind of situation AT&T has right now.
• Employees in Verizon stores will be trained this weekend by being given actual Verizon iPhones.
• What happens when you’re using the Web and you get a call? You’ll have the same experience as other CDMA phones. This means the iPhone is a bit crippled relative to AT&T’s version.Presumably it’s like the original iPhone experience on EDGE: you can’t check data when you’re on a call
• The antenna design on the left side of the phone looks the same on the bottom, but it looks like there’s an extra division/line on the top left. Oh and more about antenna design change: There is an additional division on the top right as well, but no division on the top, next to the headphone jack. Interesting.
• iPhone will have the 3G Mobile Hotspot app pre-installed, and it will also have other popular apps available in the market such as VZ Navigator, and V CAST Media Manager.
• Verizon and Apple are talking about cloud data syncing that may be an early clue towards cloud-based iTunes. Hey, Apple’s gotta start using their giant North Carolina datacenters for something!
• Exact launch date according to Verizon’s page: Feb. 10.

What The Heck Is A Personal Hotspot?

The Verizon iPhone will let you create a personal hotspot and share your data connection via WiFi with up to five other devices, such as laptops or other cell phones. It is much like Verizon’s popular Mifi data cards which allow users to share their wireless broadband with other people, and now you can do that with the iPhone, and tether your laptop to it. AT&T also allows tethering, but you can only tether one other device. -via TechCrunch

The Official Apple Press Release

Verizon Wireless and Apple® today announced that the iPhone® 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning on Thursday, February 10. Qualified Verizon Wireless customers will be given the exclusive opportunity to pre-order iPhone 4 online on February 3, ahead of general availability.

iPhone 4 is the most innovative phone in the world, featuring Apple’s stunning Retina™ display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone resulting in super crisp text, images and video, and FaceTime®, which makes video calling a reality. iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless will also include new Personal Hotspot capabilities allowing customers to use iPhone 4 to connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.

“We are pleased to introduce millions of wireless users to the industry leading iPhone 4 on the nation’s most reliable network,” said Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon. “This is an important step for the industry as two great companies join forces to give wireless customers one of the most important technological additions to the mobile landscape this century.”

“Verizon Wireless customers have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on iPhone 4, and we think they are going to love it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s chief operating officer. “We have enormous respect for the company Verizon has built and the loyalty they have earned from their customers.”

iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording, Apple’s A4 chip, a 3-axis gyro and a beautiful glass and stainless steel design like no other mobile phone. iPhone 4 also comes with iOS 4, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes multitasking, folders, Game Center, AirPlay® and AirPrint wireless printing. iPhone 4 customers have access to the world’s most popular App Store℠ with more than 300,000 apps available in an incredible range of 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health and reference.

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 4 will be available on the Verizon Wireless network beginning Thursday, February 10 for a suggested retail price of $199.99 for the 16GB model and $299.99 for the 32GB model with a new two year customer agreement. iPhone 4 will be available at more than 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide, online at  www.verizonwireless.com/iphone, at Apple Retail Stores, at the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple Authorized Resellers, and by calling 1-800-2 JOIN IN.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Media can access high-resolution images in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.)

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

iPhone image courtesy TechCrunch