Verizon Announcement at 11am, 1/11/11

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Verizon has begun sending out press invitations for a special event next Tuesday, prompting yet another round of speculation about the long-rumored announcement of a second US carrier for the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal is quoting "sources close to the company" as saying this is indeed the case. Combined with reports earlier today that Apple had put its retail employees' vacations on hold, the news has prompted many to anticipate such an announcement.

According to invitations sent to a number of reporters in the technology field, Verizon's event at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City's Lincoln Center will start at 11:00am on January 11th, 2011. The invitation contained no details about the subject of the announcement (or the significance of all those 11s), but the Wall Street Journal's John Paczkowski says that his sources tell him that the near-mythical CDMA iPhone will be unveiled at this event. The Journal led the old media sources earlier this year with reports of a Verizon iPhone, after months of vague rumors on the blogs. And one other interesting bit of news: Gizmodo, which leaked the iPhone 4 months before its official release, was not invited.

As is always the case with these reports, take it with a grain of salt. However, the rumors have been converging remarkably well to an early-2011 launch of a Verizon iPhone. Today's revelation that Apple retail employees will not be able to schedule vacation time during a "blackout" period from the last week of January through the first half of February, was the capstone to multiple reports. Apple has traditionally put vacations on hold during iPhone launches to handle the increased demand.

Source: Digital Daily

[jdm.accord]

This is interesting. However, it doesn't seem likely that Verizon would get this announcement and not Apple. Seems like Apple would want to unveil this themselves.

The Gizmodo rumor thing is interesting but do they normally get invited? And Engadget is the blog that broke the news, not Gizmodo. I'd be surprised if this is the iPhone unless Jobs is there and walks out on stage with Ivan. Still seems like Apple would want this event.

[Bluemoldycheeze88]

Verizon iPhone rumors might finally die?

It can also be the iPad 2 being announced with Verizon's 4g LTE technology built in.

[eyepoper]

what you think? Will they sell it cheaper, same price, more expensive?
Locked or Unlocked ?

[sziklassy]

^^^ There is no reason for Verizon, in the US, to sell an unlocked iPhone. CDMA locked versus unlocked would matter to almost nobody, except maybe the odd person on cricket or some other extremely small cdma network. For that reason, if they get it, I am sure it will be locked. Considering they haven't dropped any of their pricing plans, I would assume it will be right on par with pricing plans of their Android phone lines (talking monthly rates here). The cost of phone will likely be the same as that on ATT's network after a two year contract as well.

[ylerT]

This is interesting. However, it doesn't seem likely that Verizon would get this announcement and not Apple. Seems like Apple would want to unveil this themselves.

The Gizmodo rumor thing is interesting but do they normally get invited? And Engadget is the blog that broke the news, not Gizmodo. I'd be surprised if this is the iPhone unless Jobs is there and walks out on stage with Ivan. Still seems like Apple would want this event.

Why would Steve Jobs want to be there? If it is the iPhone 4, it's not a new product announcement. Just a new carrier. The iPhone is on several carriers outside of the US and I highly doubt Steve was there every time.

Also, according to Gizmodo's blog...yes, they have been invited to every Verizon press event for years. I posted story a while back and read a lot into it since. Even the Wall Street Journal (not much credibility but) is stating this will be about the Verizon iPhone 4.

[MooShoo]

Can it be??

[StealthBravo]

I heard it was dropping the 4th of Feb

[Cowboy]

So tuesday well be the day huh? lets see what happens i guess

[Hyperextension]

Nice!! It must be the new iPhone11.

[Doran]

I heard late Feb. early March. The guy I know doesn't even want the iPhone at his store. He is a true Android Fanboy.

[Cowboy]

I can see why some verizon reps wouldnt want the iphone. Verizon did a lot of bashing against apple and att now they sort of look bad if they get and will have to explain to many customers why they want the phone over " Droid"

[jdm.accord]

I can see why some verizon reps wouldnt want the iphone. Verizon did a lot of bashing against apple and att now they sort of look bad if they get and will have to explain to many customers why they want the phone over " Droid"

Android is about to get bludgeoned. They'll still be around but their market share is gonna be 12-15% after this year with Apple being around 40-45%

[The Maestro]

I've been waiting for this since iPhone 2G, you think about it this rumor has been ongoing for quite some time. I'm the only person I'm my family on AT&T cause of the iPhone so maybe I won't have to be the goose anymore ( or pay the bill )

[jdm.accord]

Why would Steve Jobs want to be there? If it is the iPhone 4, it's not a new product announcement. Just a new carrier. The iPhone is on several carriers outside of the US and I highly doubt Steve was there every time.

Also, according to Gizmodo's blog...yes, they have been invited to every Verizon press event for years. I posted story a while back and read a lot into it since. Even the Wall Street Journal (not much credibility but) is stating this will be about the Verizon iPhone 4.

Apparently ATD is saying Jobs will be there. Apple is a US company and Verizon is the largest US carrier. Why wouldn't he be there?

Wall Street Journal: Verizon to announce iPhone on Tuesday (Steve Jobs to appear?) -- Engadget

[Nielsenius]

I'll be really happy if this actually happens. I can't wait for AT&T to get more bandwidth from less users while Verizon gets flamed for their slow as crap network.

[ylerT]

Wall Street Journal has also been "confirming" the Verizon iPhone for years. Steve Jobs may be there but what's he going to say? Here's the same iPhone with a different carrier...enjoy. The reason Verizon is holding this event is to announce the phone, price and plans.

Don't get me wrong...I really hope this is finally it. It's starting to get ridiculous how many of the tech blogs are plastered with this rumor.

[imilad]

I gurantee you it wont be LTE!

[bigboyz]

Love it or hate it, the rumor mill is in full swing! I've never seen this much talk about Verizon/iPhone EVER! I truly believe it has already happened and we will be the last to know :]

It's smart business...if Apple continues to expand it's U.S. carrier base, they will no doubt become the #1 phone manufacturer world wide. Apple tends to spearhead technology or make what is out there better first. Meanwhile the other manufacturers tend to copy Apple and STAY at least a step or two behind. Just look at the history and the evolution of the smart phone....POINT PROVEN :]

[staterunner180]

On one hand, I'm not sure about Verizon announcing the iPhone on Verizon, you would think Apple would want to make an announcement as big as that. But then again, it's not a new iPhone design or anything, it's a carrier addition. So maybe it does fall to Verizon to announce the Verizon iPhone. The rumors have been especially intense this year, so I think it's finally going to happen.