The iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon Wireless! Today, Verizon held a press conference in NYC where Chief Operating Officer Lowell McAdam promised the press conference would “not disappoint”. After a tedious explanation of how much Verizon has beefed up their systems and technologies for this moment in time, he officially announced that the iPhone 4 is headed to Verizon. Here’s a look at what’s in store and how best to decide whether or not to switch.
Pre-order and Pricing
Pre-orders for the Verizon iPhone will start February 3 for current Verizon Wireless customers. On February 10, the iPhone 4 will launch nationwide on Verizon. Only the iPhone 4 will be heading to Verizon and it will come in the two standard sizes: 16GB for $199.99 and 32 GB for $299.99.
What’s New with Verizon iPhones
Android users will roll their eyes as the iPhone finally gets Hotspot capabilities to connect up to 5 devices to the iPhone’s internet connection. AT&T has allowed this for a while now for Android and the Verizon iPhone is not 4G compatible. Don’t expect to get your home’s broadband speeds on this connection.
Bryan Wolfe from AppAdvice reported that a new iOS update (iOS 4.2.5) will ship with the Verizon iPhone. It’s not yet clear what new features it will contain aside from the hotspot feature.
Verizon’s iPhone 4 will not be able to handle voice and data connections simultaneously. That means you can’t browse the web while on a call. No comments were made during the press conference on pricing plans, but MacWorld has a post up comparing AT&T and Verizon pricing plans as they currently stand.
Before You Cancel Your AT&T Plan…
I’m just as excited about this announcement as some of you might be (CES horror stories anyone?). AT&T was a nightmare during CES, or any tech conference for that matter, and Verizon’s announcement is right on time.
On the other hand, Apple usually releases a new iPhone every year. That means the iPhone 5 is a few months away. IIf you’re considering buying the next iPhone, let’s do a little math together. You’ll pay over $500 to switch to Verizon if you’re currently locked into a contract. That includes a 16GB iPhone plus cancellation charges. If the new iPhone does come to Verizon you’ll have to pay the full price tag to get it, resulting in over $1000 for the latest phone or the “nation’s largest network”.
Choose wisely.
