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Two New Apple Devices on Verizon? We Doubt It.

by Terrence O'Brien on April 28, 2009 at 11:28 AM

two new apple devices on verizon? we doubt it.

We thought that the days of absurd iPhone rumors were behind us. We were pretty sure that the new phone operating system du jour -- Android -- had finally stolen the spotlight. Besides, the iPhone has developed a regular cycle of reasonably predictable improvements, so what could the rumor mill possibly stir up to take attention away from Google and the Palm Pre? How about the tantalizing idea of two new iPhone-like devices on the Verizon network?

Rumors have been circulating about the iPhone coming to Verizon, and about AT&T looking to extend its deal for iPhone exclusivity through 2011. But carrier deals are boring. If you really want to send the Internets into a tizzy, you've got to entice them with promises of secretive new hardware, like the oft-rumored-but-never-materialized iPhone Nano, or an Apple netbook-like device. These happen to be exactly the devices that a new Business Week article claims will soon be coming to Verizon's network.

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam confirmed that the cellular provider is in talks with Apple about bringing devices to the network, but he revealed nothing about what the nature of the hardware would be. This of course has given people carte blanche for making stuff up. The two rumored devices have been described respectively as a "smaller, less expensive calling device described by a person who has seen it as an 'iPhone lite'," and as a larger, touchscreen "media pad" that will play movies, music, and make VoIP calls over WiFi, but will not include a cellular radio (Isn't that called the iPod Touch?).


There is speculation that Apple is simply looking to bolster its market position by using the threat of Apple-powered Verizon devices to pressure AT&T into more concessions (like improving its much-maligned 3G network), or to persuade Verizon to skip (or at least delay) carrying the Palm Pre once Sprint's exclusive deal expires.

Only time will tell if there is any credence to these rumors, but you can put us squarely in the skeptical camp. [From: Business Week, Via: TUAW and Engadget]

Tags: apple, apple netbook, AppleNetbook, att, iphone nano, IphoneNano, rumors, top, verizon

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