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Verizon finally unveils iPhone [Long Island Business News (NY)](Long Island Business News (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The moment many Verizon Wireless faithful have been waiting for has finally arrived. The nation's largest mobile telephone service provider has formally unveiled the iPhone. Verizon Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam said the mobile service provider reached out to Apple about a partnership in 2008. After creating a CDMA-compatible iPhone, the two companies spent a full year testing the device. All of that preparation has brought the companies to today, where, in front of a group of reporters and media professionals gathered at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Verizon announced that Apple's iPhone 4 would be available on its network for purchase starting Feb. 10. For the most part, the phone is no different than AT&T's version. Both work on 3G service and include all of the bells and whistles that come with an iPhone. Verizon's version, however, will be able to be used as a mobile hotspot, allowing up to five devices to connect to it via Wi-Fi. On the other hand, due to the limitations of Verizon's CDMA-based system, the phone will not allow for simultaneous phone and data transfer like AT&T. Current Verizon Wireless customers will be given first dibs on purchasing the device. The iPhone will be available for preorder for existing customers starting Feb. 3, one week before it is formally released online and in stores. Much like the AT&T models, the iPhone 4 will be available in two different models - a 16GB version retailing at $199.99 with a two- year contract, and a 32GB version for $299.99 with two-year contract. Rumors of a Verizon iPhone have run rampant for years, ever since Verizon initially balked at Apple's offer of exclusivity for the iPhone. (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |