Verizon flirts with Apple, but Android is already girlfriend material

April 28, 2009 | Matthaus Krzykowski and Matt Marshall | Comments | |

There’s been lots of speculation that Verizon, the largest U.S. phone network, is flirting with Apple, with the idea of introducing an iPhone on Verizon’s network next year.

Verizon is building out a new fourth-generation network, based on Long Term Evolution (LTE), which is why interest in this is high.

There are plenty of reasons why Verizon would court Apple, which has so far signed an exclusive deal with AT&T within the U.S. market. Foremost among them: Verizon wants to avoid AT&T having all the iPhone action for itself.

Completely overlooked in the Verizon-Apple dalliance reports, however, is evidence that a Verizon may already be striking up a romance with Google’s Android, one of iPhone’s main competitors. This is not to say that Verizon can’t have both.

To be sure, there hasn’t been any formal announcement yet about Verizon-Android, but there’s more circumstantial evidence that something is going on between Verizon and Android.

First, Verizon runs a wireless network based on CDMA, which is different from AT&T’s GSM technology. And we know that an unnamed CDMA carrier is getting code developed for a chip that would allow Android to be supported on CDMA. Teleca, a company that provides such software help, said this in a statement:

“Teleca is developing several strategic projects for its customers around Android. One major project we are undertaking is to extend the Android platform to support CDMA radio technology. This will enable handset manufacturers to build CDMA handsets based on Android and will open the Android handset market for CDMA Network Operators.”

Next, we know that the code has already been submitted to Google, and won approval.

Of course, Verizon isn’t the only carrier running on CDMA. In the U.S., there’s also Alltel, Cellcom, Cellular South, Cricket Communications (from Leap Wireless), MetroPCS, nTelos, Sprint PCS, U.S. Cellular and  Alaska Communications Systems. In Japans, there’s KDDI.

But this job notice gives us a clue that Verizon is looking for Android expertise. Just saying.

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  • Ryan
    Matthaus, how do you think Verizon's traditional stranglehold on third party app distribution will impact any potential deal with Apple or Google?
  • matthaus
    From my talks with Verizon app folks late last year and listening to CTO Dick Lynch at MWC this year I think they are the potential grand prize for both Apple and Google. The way things appear now they will spearhead the data explosion on their LTE network.

    Having said that I don't believe the CDMA iPhone rumours. A CDMA iPhone just doesn't make sense. LTE, maybe, but I don't have much information about that.

    Verizon itself, I suspect, does not care much about the hoopla in the media on potential deals with Apple or Google. In their third party app program they have a device-centric approach, not a platform view. Related to app stores and how much Verizon would like to control them -- I could only speculate on that.
  • Um, now the WSJ is reporting that Verizon is in talks with Microsoft.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124093915558664...
  • I really enjoy all of the informations in this blog, i can not get this info soon. but
  • matthaus
    Some feedback on Tricia's comment over at Moconews:
    http://www.moconews.net/entry/419-verizon-wirel...

    1) Nobody needs to join OHA to deal with the stuff. And 2) Sprint already announced they will launch an Android device this year, so we don't need to speculate about that any more ;)
  • Miller08638
    Take alltell of that list if u didn't know