Universal iPhone This Year?

With iPhone now launched on the Verizon network, attention has turned to what new innovations can be expected in the 5th generation iPhone, which is expected to be launched this summer. One clue may be from the inside of the new Verizon iPhone. Verizon’s phone system uses a CDMA chip, a format that is not compatible with the AT&T model, since the latter uses the GSM standard.

However, the new Verizon iPhone has been modified in two important ways, paving the way for Apple to bridge the gap. First, the physical dimensions of the phone have been altered slightly to accommodate the Verizon chip. Second, Apple is now using a Qualcomm chip that is capable of connecting to either CDMA or GSM systems. The current Verizon system is not capable of using GSM, but the presence of the new chip makes it almost certain that the iPhone 5 will have the capability to be used on both.