Verizon's CFO Fran Shammo mentioned at the J.P. Morgan Technology, Media, and Telecom conference recently that anyone migrating from 3G to 4G devices won't be able to grandfather in their old unlimited plan and will have to instead take a data share plan scheduled to launch this summer. That way, not only are you burning through data faster, but you're also splitting it among friends or co-workers. Everybody wants that, right?

Those of you that scrambled to get unlimited data plans on Verizon before they dropped the axe on it will have to carefully consider your next upgrade.

To be fair, this will make it easier to split data between devices, which is a common eventuality for those of us using both an iPad and an iPhone. Still, this sentiment is in direct opposition to Sprint, who has pledged that they'll keep unlimited around even if an LTE iPhone is eventually released. The question is, how long are you going to be willing to hold onto your iPhone 4S with an unlimited plan before being tugged into a limited (but faster) world of LTE? Will Verizon still rip you from the warm embrace of unlimited data even if you stick with a 3G device?

Source: FierceWireless

UPDATE: Verizon recently clarified that no, they won't be forcing people to switch to the shared plan, though new subscribers still won't be able to pick an unlimited plan.

T-Mobile recently announced the details their plans to upgrade to LTE in 2013 thanks to a chunk of the 1900 MHz spectrum they earned through the busted-up AT&T deal. Those upgrades will also include enhancements on HSPA+, which should -- finally -- support the iPhone. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that T-Mobile will be selling the iPhone any time soon, but they've been more than happy to accommodate iPhone-toting AT&T expatriates so far, and this HSPA+ expansion should make that job much easier.

We're holding out for an LTE-capable iPhone 5 to hit the streets this fall, but even if T-Mobile has their first LTE markets ready early on in 2013 and manages to lock down an agreement with Apple to sell it, it will be at least three or four months behind the other major U.S. service providers. That's going to be a steep handicap, especially considering Sprint will keep offering unlimited plans for the foreseeable future.

Even without LTE, if Apple includes the same HSPA+ 42 radio in the next iPhone that they included in the new iPad, and T-Mobile manages to get the device on their network, performance might not be too bad.

Given how high a percentage of sales the iPhone made up on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint last quarter, and how not having the iPhone seemed to put a dent in T-Mobile's sales, we're guessing there might be some deals to be made.

Any T-Mobile customers out there itching to get HSPA+ on their iPhones? Would any of you on AT&T be willing to switch to T-Mobile if you knew you could keep your wireless data speeds?

Source: T-Mobile

Sprint has confirmed that it will still offer an unlimited data plan for the next generation iPhone. There was some doubt that the unlimited data would remain, especially if the iPhone 5,1 has the expected LTE radio. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has stated that Sprint will continue to offer a no-strings unlimited plan.

"I'm not anticipating the unlimited plan would change by that point," he said. "That's our distinctive differentiator." "Frankly, it's a marriage made in heaven," he said about the combination of unlimited and the iPhone. "We're clearly attracting customers from our competitors."

The decision by Sprint to offer unlimited data when all the other carriers are cutting back on their allowances has been very beneficial for Sprint. Hesse believes that many new customers have joined Sprint purely for the unlimited data. He was also keen to point out that he had no inside knowledge as to when the next iPhone would be released or if it definitely would be LTE capable.

Source: CNET

Verizon has just announced that they're expanding their LTE network to a bunch of new areas across the U.S. In New York, the Buffalo-Niagara area has 28 new LTE towers, while Cattaraugus-Alleghany counties are getting their first taste of 4G on Thursday. Also launching on Thursday are new markets in Georgia, including LaGrange, Brunswick, and Macon. Pierre, South Dakota, and Ocala, Florida will also be getting LTE service on the 19th. Other recent expansions have included Hopkinton, New Hampshire; Lancaster, Massachusetts; and Stockton, Fresno, and Bakersfield in California.

This is good news for those outside of major urban centers wanting to get high-speed data on the new iPad, but surveys show that the majority of iPad usage is over Wi-Fi. Still, this nicely sets the stage for an LTE iPhone, which we're expecting sometime this fall. We have a forum thread going asking which carrier folks would go with for an LTE iPhone, and so far it seems like a pretty even split between Verizon and AT&T. Which would you side with?

Source: Verizon via Android Central

AT&T is slowly but surely -- very slowly but very surely, it seems -- expanding their LTE (Long Term Evolution) rollout to include Bloomington and Muncie Indiana, and Bryan-College Station Texas. (Google Maps them!)

In terms of Apple devices, LTE is currently only available for the new iPad, but is rumored to be coming to the next generation iPhone this fall. Granted, these aren't major markets, but Cleveland, Akron and Canton, Ohio, Lafayette, Indiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans Louisiana, St. Louis Missouri, and Staten Island, N.Y are set to follow some time this summer.

And every little bit helps, right?

If you're on AT&T LTE, make sure you jump into our forums and show us what your speed looks like.

Add Calgary, Alberta and Halifax, Nova Scotia to the list of places you can get blisteringly fast 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Rogers networking on your new iPad. Edmonton is next, and it doesn't sound like they're slowing down any time soon.

Rogers LTE network now reaches close to 12 million people or one third of the Canadian population. By the end of the year, it will reach nearly 60 per cent.

I've been using Rogers LTE in Montreal for several months, including a demo USB stick before the new iPad shipped and it's been consistently fast. Granted, there aren't a lot of devices that can use LTE yet, and not a lot of peopl on the towers yet, but with the new iPad, that's going to change sooner rather than later.

Getting 50Mbps down while at the coffee shop, 30Mbps down while at the lake, even 12Mbps down while on the fringe of the island is an incredible experience. HSPA+ can come close matching the low- to mid-level of those speeds, but LTE just annihilates it on uplink. It's especially great while tethering over Personal Hotspot, especially when you consider the giant iPad battery can last 24hrs if that's all you're doing with it.

If you're in Calgary or Halifax, and sometime later this year, Edmonton, and you have an LTE iPad, give it a speed test and let us know what you're getting. Then let us know what you're doing with all that speed.

Source: Rogers

Apple has quickly responded to the accusations that they're misrepresenting the new iPad in Australia as 4G-capable by offering misled buyers a refund on their device.  That's not much of an offer, considering they're all within their 30-day return window, but a sensible answer to those that are unhappy that they can't get LTE access on their new iPads. Apple will also be shooting out e-mails to those who had bought a 4G iPad to clarify what it's capable of, and by April 5, they'll be putting up signs anywhere selling a new iPad reiterating the point. Apple is set to meet with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on April 18 for a mediation, while a trial is set for May 2, where Apple could face $1.1 million in fines per infraction.

Right now, the new iPad only supports US and Canadian LTE, making any branding abroad as the "Wi-Fi + 4G" iPad a little sketchy.

Following in Australia's footsteps,the Swedish Consumer Agency is actively launching an investigation to determine if Apple's marketing is misleading, while the UK's Advertising Standards Authority is currently assessing complaints made to them.

The new iPad is a great devices, and easily shrugged off claims that it was getting too hot, and though these false advertising claims are fixed easily enough with new packaging, marketing, and signage, Apple may be dinged by a few fines for not taking care of it earlier. There is some defense in that HSPA+ is being marketed by some carriers as 4G,  which is much more likely to be available in these international markets.

I think it's pretty clear that Apple needs to change the wording on the new iPad in areas without compatible LTE support, but how many consumers will be so offended that they'll return their new iPad over the whole thing? A recent survey shows that usage of cellular data on iOS tablets is relatively low.

Source: Sidney Mourning Herald, The Wall Street Journal, PocketLint

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission is going after Apple for advertising the new iPad as 4G capable, even though it's not compatible with their 4G LTE networks. The ACCC says they're after "injunctions, pecuniary penalties, corrective advertising and refunds to consumers affected" in this case.  Simply enough, Australian LTE operates on on 1800 MHz, while the two new iPad models currently available run on 700 MHz and 2100 MHz. Presumably, Apple will offer support for a wider variety of LTE flavors eventually, but for the time being, Australians and others will have to make do with 3G HSPA+ if they want cellular data on their new iPad.

Telstra, Vodafone, and Optus are both saying the new iPad has "ultrafast wireless" instead of 4G in their banners, but the proper model name for the new iPad in their online shops comes with "Wi-Fi + 4G" tacked on the end, so it's easy to imagine some consumers being mislead. As AT&T has proven, the definition of "4G" is very flexible these days, but it's good to see that marketing wordplay doesn't fly in Australia; with any luck, the ACCC will win this case and get the carriers and Apple to change around the branding.

Australia was one of the first regions to get the new iPad, having joined Canada, the U.S., U.K, France and lots of others on March 16. In fact, it was the first country to put it on sale, and was where the new iPad was disassembled for our viewing pleasure.

Source: ACCC

The Verizon version of the new iPad can run 25.3 hours straight with the LTE personal hotspot feature enabled. according to recent testing. AnandTech put the Verizon model through its paces, and as you might expect, these results are with the blindingly sharp Retina display turned off, which would otherwise put a huge dent into the battery performance.

iMore has enjoyed similar results on our new iPad running on the Rogers network, and said in our complete iPad (2012) review:

Tethering using the built-in Personal Hotspot feature (not currently supported by AT&T) was fantastic. It rivaled a home or office Wi-Fi connection. While it functions the same as the iPhone Personal Hotspot, I’d much rather use up my iPad data and battery while tethering, and leave my iPhone charged for phone calls and messaging. Also, because the iPad has an LTE radio and a much bigger battery, you can tether faster than an iPhone and for longer than any other smartphone.

So not only can you go longer, your phone remains fully charged and fully functional when you're done. This sets the new iPad up as an ideal mobile hotspot to handle your casual day-to-day computing, so long as you can resist playing around with it while on your Mac or Windows laptop.

Of course, the data cap issue still looms large, but if you have a monster grandfathered unlimited plan or your needs are modest, you may be able to get away with regularly using your new LTE iPad as a secondary internet connection.

If you're happily tethering away on your LTE or HSPA+ iPad connection, jump into the forum and tell us how you're experience has been.

Source: AnandTech

Localytics has recently compiled some of their data through apps, and has concluded that only 6% of iPad sessions are made through a cellular network of some kind. They've also figured out that 89.7% of iPads out there are Wi-Fi-only, while 1.5% are the LTE-enabled new iPads. Even among new iPads, only 36% of the sessions are using 4G LTE.  It's worth noting that the new iPad just went on sale in a lot of countries today, though other studies show that the U.S. takes up the lion's share of app activity.

These are some pretty interesting numbers, considering how much folks are concerned about blowing through their data caps with an LTE connection and a demanding high-resolution display. Small data buckets are likely a big factor in pushing people to using Wi-Fi over cell networks, and until plans improve, odds are things are going to stay that way.

The numbers seem accurate, at least in my experience. What about you guys - how much time do you spend using your cellular-enabled iPad outside the reach of a Wi-Fi zone?

Source: Localytics

While Apple has only just released the new iPad, iMore has already started to hear more about the next generation iPhone (iPhone 5,1). We previously reported that Apple was working to reduce the size of the traditional 30-pin dock connector to something closer akin to a micro-dock so there'd be more room inside for other components (similar to how they went from a mini-SIM to a micro-SIM in 2010). Yesterday we reported that, as of last month, Apple was planning to stick with the current 3.5-inch screen size for the new iPhone, but that it wasn't set in stone and it could get a little bigger (though nowhere near as big as current 4.5-inch-plus Android phones.)

Following that story we received some additional information.

First, the new iPhone will be 4G LTE compatible. That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, considering the new iPad supports LTE and it's hard to imagine Apple giving the iPad a feature like that and not passing it on to the iPhone. So look for that this fall.

Second is the timeframe. We've mentioned October 2012 as the current release schedule for iPhone 5,1 before and that's still the plan. The exact date won't be determined until closer to launch, but the iPhone is locked to a fall cycle for the immediate future.

That makes sense for a number of reasons. While going from the iPhone 4 in June 2010 to the iPhone 4S in October 2011 was a longer wait than previous generations, a new iPhone release in June of 2012 would create the opposite problem -- only 9 months between iPhones. That's not dissimilar to the period of time between the Verizon iPhone 4 launch in February of 2011 and the cross-carrier iPhone 4S launch in October of the same year, but that was a unique circumstance. Apple has shown they can earn significant revenue on their flagship devices even when they've been on the market for over a year. Why unnecessarily shorten that shelf life?

Also, to date, every new iPhone has been launched alongside a new version of iOS. The last version, iOS 5, was a major, ambitious update, including iCloud and Siri, and Apple made good use of those 16 months to bring it to market. We have no specific information on how large an update Apple is planning for iOS 6, but 9 months doesn't sound like a lot of time for even a modest release. If Apple announces an iOS 6 SDK event this spring, like they did from 2008 to 2010, then we may start getting an idea. If iOS 6 isn't introduced to developers until WWDC, presumably in the summer like 2011, then a fall release would seem a certainty.

So to sum up, iPhone 5,1 is on track for:

• Similar if not same sized screen (currently 3.5-inch but not set in stone)
• 4G LTE radio
• New "micro dock" connector
• Fall/October 2012 release

There's some other stuff we're still looking into and we'll update asap. In the meantime, if next generation iPhone rumors and discussion are your thing, jump on into our iPhone 5 forum and have at it.

iOS 5.1 snuck in a 4G indicator on the AT&T iPhone 4S. When asked if they felt like their phone was running at mind-bending speed, one commenter smartly replied "Lightning fast. I can't wait to get throttled even sooner now." This encapsulates the conundrum of 4G data, and a problem currently faced by new LTE iPad owners: increased data speeds are only as useful as the data caps that go along with them. Drinking from the firehose is only fun if it's hooked up to more than a thimble of water.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a piece detailing various anecdotes where users were quickly running out of data, and needed to pay extra to get their service back on track. Though it's good that the pitfall is being identified for those who might not know any better, for most of us it's obvious that higher speeds without appropriately bumped data caps will ultimately result in a bigger bill. If you buy a Ferrari, after all, you're going to need the gas to go with it.

This is the world Android owners have been living in for awhile now. The problem is only exacerbated on the iOS side as video is going to HD, even 1080p to take advantage of the new high resolution display. There are a few things you can do to alleviate the stress on your bucket of data, like relying on Wi-Fi as much as possible, and reducing the quality on streaming video, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having an iPad with LTE, doesn't it? It seems like the impetus is on service providers to get with the times and adapt their pricing structure for next-generation wireless speeds. But what to change?

Flex data

As you might have seen from out AT&T versus Verizon comparison, iPad plans start at 250 MB for $15 and max out at 5 GB for $50, but there aren't clear steps for transitioning from one tier to another. Up here in Canada, TELUS and Bell offer Flex plans, which basically means you're paying a little more at each tier, but you'll automatically be knocked up or down the ladder depending on your monthly usage. While this might not seem particularly different from simply paying overages on top of your standard plan if you blow past your data cap, a billing system that goes down with your usage is entirely reasonable, especially for those with erratic usage habits.

Speed tiers

One trend that might be worth transplanting from the landline internet world are speed tiers. Grandma probably doesn't need LTE data speeds, but little Billy probably wants the best of the best. Even if they were both transferring the same amount of data, what really matters to each of them isn't whatever is in their respective packets, but how quickly they get them. Ultimately, that should be what wireless service providers are charging for. If carriers are worried about congestion, this would be a fine way of mitigating and controlling bandwidth, without earning the ire of power users when they get throttled; offering separate 2G, 3G, and 4G data plans would essentially be pre-emptive throttling for people who opt-in in exchange for lower rates, and an opportunity for heavy data users to guarantee consistent performance.

Roll-over

If service providers are going to stick with data caps, it would be nice if we could use them after the month's up -we paid for those megabytes, after all. This is something prepaid voice service has done in the past, and seeing as new iPad owners aren't on a term contract, it would be a great fit. Some months you're going to spend on the move more than others, and it seems ridiculous that during those times, you've got to pay more even though the entire month before your iPad might have existed within reach of a Wi-Fi zone. Of course, it could be a huge stress on carriers if folks just stockpiled their data and went nuts on their LTE iPad in a short period of time.  Those kinds of activity spikes are hard for carriers to deal with. Still, offering a spare unused GB from the last month or two could be all the wriggle room someone needs to go without paying overages or reconsidering their plans.

Of course, this whole issue would be cleared up if service providers just upped their data caps or lowered their prices, but I understand that they have shareholders to keep happy, and that involves making sure they aren't just giving away service. There's also the obvious issue of capacity; one would hope that as LTE networks mature, the situation will improve. These are just some ideas to get the conversation rolling, and I doubt any of them are a silver bullet to addressing the disparity between data speed demand and bandwidth supply, but the fact remains that it's becoming a problem that needs to be solved. I invite anyone from the retail or infrastructure side to comment on why some of the options would or wouldn't work. New LTE iPad owners, is there anything you would like to see on the service side, or is everything hunky-dory as is?

And while you're at it, jump into the new iPad forums and tell us how much 4G data you've used on your new iPad so far.

Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett downgraded his rating on Sprint stock to underperform, along with a note that says bankruptcy is a very real threat with the LTE iPhone looming.

We believe an LTE iPhone will likely be badly disadvantaged on Sprint’s network, potentially impairing sales … at a time when Sprint is subject to a punishing take-or-pay deal with Apple. The problem is 4G. Sprint doesn’t have enough free-and-clear spectrum on which to launch a competitive LTE network, and it doesn’t have the money to clear spectrum that’s already in use. ... To be clear, we are not predicting a Sprint bankruptcy. We are merely acknowledging that it is a very legitimate risk. And notwithstanding a recent rally in Sprint shares, we believe that risk is rising.

As you might recall, rumor has it that Sprint basically bet the farm on the iPhone 4S, but considering how much T-Mobile is hurting without it, who can blame them? Sprint's LTE rollout was supposed to be kicking off this year, but if their 4G network isn't reasonably matured by the time an LTE-capable iPhone is announced, they may be in trouble. One can only presume that most of the money AT&T forked over for the failed merger went to those kinds of network upgrades.

It's worth pointing out that while Sprint currently offers the CMDA iPhone 4S, they didn't get the new iPad last week like AT&T and Verizon did. Not on LTE. Not even on CDMA.

Anyone taking bets? Will Sprint be able to keep their network up to snuff for the LTE iPhone, or do AT&T and Verizon have too much of a head start?

Source: AllThingsD

The new iPad brings with it the option for a new, dual radio that brings with it 72Mbps LTE on AT&T and Verizon in the US and Rogers, Telus, and Bell in Canada. Sadly, there's no international LTE support for Australia, Asia, or Europe yet, perhaps due to the differences in LTE segments around the world. However, the new iPad also brings a new 42Mbps HSPA+ radio for AT&T, Canadian, and international carriers that support it. (Technically dual 21Mbps HSPA+ radios.) Those are theoretical speeds though -- what you get in a lab when alone, sitting on top of a tower. In the real world we're often lucky to see half the theoretical speeds, and often considerably less. That's why we put them to the test.

New iPad radios specs

The new iPad supports the following cellular radio frequencies:

• 4G LTE at 700, 2100 MHz (Verizon model at 700 Mhz only)
• UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA at 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• GSM/EDGE at 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• CDMA EV-DO Rev. A at 800, 1900 MHz

New iPad LTE and HSPA+ speed tests

LTE is a powerhouse, likely faster than many home broadband connections. HSPA+ is no slouch either when it comes to downloads, though uploads are disappointing.

I took the new iPad out to a local coffee shop to see what type of real-world results I could get. The first thing I did was load up the SpeedTest.net app [free - Download now] app and run it 3 times on LTE to make sure I was getting consistent results. I've gotten close to 50Mbps before, both with an LTE stick and with the new iPad on launch day, but these tests had me hitting almost 30Mbps down and over 10Mbps up consistently. (On 2 bars of LTE, for whatever that's worth.)

You can quickly turn off LTE with a flip of a toggle switch in Settings, and the handoff is extremely smooth and quick -- the LTE indicator goes off and the 3G (or 4G on AT&T... sigh) comes on. I repeated the same test 3 times, and averaged around 15Mbps down and 0.75Mbps up. I've only ever gotten between 5 and 8Mbps down on the iPad 2 or iPhone 4S, so that new HSPA+ down (HSPDA) really is much faster. The upload speed really wasn't great though. (On 4 bars of HSPA+.)

Now switching back from HSPA+ to LTE has proven to be a problem for me. I don't know if it's because I have really strong 3G and really weak LTE, so once the radio gets a taste of that stronger signal it won't let go, but even if I cycle LTE on and off, cellular data on and off, or Airplane Mode off or on, LTE just won't come back. All I can do is wait for a while (several minutes) for it to "find" LTE again, or power cycle and get it back after reboot.

(If you've tested the LTE to HSPA+ handoff, share your experience, so we can better figure it out.)

New iPad LTE and HSPA+ HD video test

After the reboot, I put the LTE radio to a more real-world test -- streaming the Avengers movie trailer in HD. (I could have gone with Prometheus but Avengers had a Hulk...) It worked flawlessly. The trailer began to play almost immediately and never once stopped or stuttered. The download indicator stayed well ahead of the play indicator the whole time. It was as good as being on Wi-Fi. Fast Wi-Fi.

HSPA+ didn't do nearly as well. The trailer started playing almost immediately but also came to a screeching halt almost immediately as well. The download indicator limped ahead, but at no time did it race the way LTE did.

Apple might send lower resolution or lower bit-rate video to slower connections, so I'm not sure HSPA+ was even taking the same load, but either way, it wasn't up to the task.

Like the previous tests, I repeated each 3 times for consistency, and also drove around and tried them in several other locations, though I haven't gotten more than 2 bars of LTE, and in some places I haven't been able to connect to LTE at all.

Conclusion

Overall, however, both the new LTE and the new HSPA+ antennas in the new iPad are impressive, the LTE most of all. If always connected, on-the-go internet is important to you, and you live, work, and travel to places with LTE coverage, you want this.

Addenda for Verizon LTE

Something to keep in mind for those considering the new iPad on Verizon LTE -- while the AT&T and Canadian LTE models fall back on the impressive (for downloads at least) HSPA+, the Verizon model falls back on the anemic EVDO Rev. A, which averages 2 or 3Mbps. I wouldn't even attempt to play an HD trailer over that. I'd wait to get back to Wi-Fi. It would probably take less time.

My original iPad and iPad 2 have always been remarkably cool, even when playing graphically intensive games or high definition video, but my new iPad is getting a little warm to the touch. It's by no means as hot as my iPhone 4s gets, which can be really hot if there's bad reception or I'm tethering. It's also nothing like how hot a MacBook gets when playing Adobe Flash. But hotter than my old iPads which were absolutely cool all the time. Since other devices routinely get warm or hot without issue, it doesn't seem to be anything to worry about -- if anything it might just be a sign we're finally pushing iPads as hard as we've been pushing our other gear for years.

The heat seems to be along the left hand side (if you're holding it in portrait mode with the home button at the bottom. I don't think it's the LTE radio because it feels the same on Wi-Fi. According to the pictures iFixit posted during their teardown, the iPad's board, including its A5X system-on-a-chip appear to be along the left hand side. (The gigantic battery is on the right.) The A5X includes a quad-core GPU, but I'm not doing anything particularly intense when the iPad is warm (just downloading apps right now).

We're talking about this now in our [iPad 3 forums] and have a couple of great threads going:

• New iPad running HOT!
• Is your new iPad getting unusually hot?

If you haven't already, jump in there and let us know your experience with heat on your new iPad.

Tell me the first thing you did when you got your new iPad was to load up SpeedTest.net and see just how fast that new, theoretically 72mbps, 4G LTE radio is? Or if you're outside the U.S. and Canada, that new, theoretically 42mbps HSPA+ radio?

No one will actually get those speeds unless they're pretty much alone and sitting right on top of the tower, but this is as fast as we're going to get with current technology, and let's face it, the big numbers are what we want to see.

I'm having a huge problem getting LTE working on my iPad right now -- my SIM wasn't activated properly, then they couldn't find the plan, now they say there are delays in the system. Long story short, I'm still stuck on 3G and can't even post my usual screenshot. But at least I can live vicariously through you for now.

So... What are you getting? Fire up those radios, run your speed test, and give us the results. Make sure you tell us where you are, what carrier you're on, and what upload and download speed you get on your new iPad.

And since the "pics or it didn't happen" rule is absolutely in effect, make sure you jump over to the new iPad forum and drop a screenshot in there as proof!

Attention avid video callers: according to early reviews, the new 3rd-generation iPad won't be able to make FaceTime calls over LTE. Given how popular we're all expecting the new iPad to be, I wouldn't be surprised if carriers put the lock-down on FaceTime in order to keep their LTE networks speedy. Alternatively, Apple may have set a high bar for FaceTime performance, and aren't 100% confident that LTE isn't reliable enough, even with its high transfer speeds when you've got coverage.

The funny thing is, you could use an iPhone as a portable hotspot to get FaceTime on the new iPad, or vice versa if you're packing an iPhone 4 and an LTE iPad with hotspot enabled. In any case, for the vast majority of iPad fans this is not going to be a dealbreaker. Anyone who's really dying for video calling through a cellular network can always pick up the Skype app for iPad.

Source: The Verge

The new iPad drops this week, complete with LTE connectivity, which means many of you may still be trying to decide between AT&T and Verizon. If expanded coverage is a concern, AT&T has just announced a bunch of new cities will be getting 4G goodness between April and early summer.

• Cleveland, Ohio
• Akron, Ohio
• Canton, Ohio
• Naples, Fla.
• Bloomoington, Ind.
• Lafayette, Ind.
• Muncie, Ind.
• Baton Rouge, La.
• New Orleans
• St. Louis
• Bryan/College Station, Texas
• Staten Island, N.Y.

Currently, AT&T's LTE network is live in 28 markets, providing coverage to some 74 million Americans. Unfortunately, while AT&T's LTE iPad will work on Canadian LTE networks as well, Verizon's LTE iPad is exclusive to their network. That means you have to decide which one you're getting up front. You can't just switch SIM cards later. (Why be consumer friendly about it, right?)

Any of you guys holding out for the AT&T LTE model of the new iPad, and if so, how close an eye are you keeping on their coverage map?

While Sprint added the iPhone 4S to their lineup last October, last week's new iPad event came and went with Sprint decidedly absent from the new iPad carrier announcements. So what's the deal? Will Sprint be getting the new iPad? Well, Engadget has discovered entries in Best Buy's internal database system that may just hint that the new iPad will reach Sprint too.

the new iPad for Sprint has arrived in Best Buy's internal inventory system. Does this mean we're going to see the devices magically show up next week at the electronic megastore? Eh, we wouldn't count on it showing up that soon. But is it possible that Sprint will have Apple's iconic tablet ready to go alongside the Samsung Galaxy Nexus when it launches its multi-billion-dollar 4G investment?

Sprint's 4G deployment is well behind Verizon and a fair bit behind AT&T (thanks in no small part to the distraction that was WiMax). While they could perhaps have offered a CDMA iPad right away, being stuck on a theoretical maximum speed of 3mbps while AT&T and Verizon LTE can hit 72 mbps -- and even AT&T fake 4G/3G can hit HSPA+ speeds well into the double digits -- would have been less than optimal.

So if you're holding out for the new iPad on Sprint, all hope may not be lost. However, even though the New iPad is carrier unlocked, if you buy now you probably won't be able to switch to Sprint later -- CDMA doesn't work that way, and it's uncertain if either the AT&T or Verizon LTE iPads would work on Sprint LTE.

Unfortunately, until Apple and Sprint make an announcement, all you can do is wait. (Or grab an AT&T or Verizon model for now and sell it and buy a Sprint one later -- no contracts, after all.)

• Sprint help and discussion forum

Source: Engadget

Provided you've settled on color and storage capacity, In the U.S., you've only got two choices if you're hunting for an LTE-enabled new iPad. In Canada, things are a bit more complicated. During Apple's event yesterday, Rogers, Bell, and TELUS, the big three service providers up here in Canada, featured prominently. Two LTE models would be launched to make sure every able carrier would be able to offer LTE, though there's lots of 3G compatibility for elsewhere, too. The new iPad lands in Canada on March 16, and no doubt many are wondering which carrier they should go with for data service. We've chewed through the plans and coverage, and have a fairly definitive answer.

There are two caveats, mind you. For one, we don't have a lot of data on speed comparisons. You'll want to ask around to see who's offering better speeds in your area. Secondly, we're assuming that The Big Three won't be switching up their iPad plans before launch day, which is entirely possible. The new iPad is big enough that there could be promotions across the board, so make sure to double-check before committing.

LTE availability

In Canada, those LTE centres are still fairly limited, which actually makes your pick of carriers for the new iPad a lot easier. Bell and TELUS share their LTE network, so coverage will be fairly interchangable between them. They've got LTE in Toronto and the surrounding area, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Yellowknife, Quebec City, and smaller regions like Belleville, Cambridge, Waterloo, Guelph, Hamilton, Dartmouth and London. By comparison, Rogers only covers  Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa. Rogers did recently expand to St. John's, Newfoundland, and they're expecting to cover Halifax in the next couple of months, but on the whole, Bell and TELUS have a distinct edge on coverage. It's also worth noting that Bell and TELUS are supporting dual-cell HSPA+, which means you might still be able to get up to 42 Mbps outside of LTE areas. What about pricing?

Pricing plans

Rogers offers similar fixed and flex plans. For $15/month, you get 250 MB, and for $35/month, you get 5 GB, which is way better than TELUS's stand-alone static tablet plans. The Flex plans for Rogers iPads are a little weird, since they've kindly bundled in all of the taxes in with the fees; I guess they're worried about getting dinged by the CRTC for misleading prices like Bell did in June. For $6.93/month, you get 10 MB, which is bumped up to $16.93/month for up to 250 MB if you go over, $21.93/month for 500 MB after that, and $36.93 for 5 GB and $0.02/MB after that. So the flex pricing on Rogers is pretty much identical to TELUS, except for the different $10 tier has been bumped up to $25 for a bit more data. Rogers also offers shareable data add-ons for smartphones that are separate from their usual offerings (though no more expensive);  you get 1 GB across both devices for $30/month, 3 GB for $45/month, and $60/month for 6 GB. The sneaky part here is that it looks like you wouldn't be able to access LTE if you opt for the bottom-tier plan, which is downright dirty. Bell and TELUS don't mention anything about this, so I can only hope that they aren't doing anything similar.

With all of that said, I would have to side with TELUS if I was buying one of the new iPads with LTE. They've got the broadest national coverage, the best spread in flex rates and free sharing of data with smartphones. Obviously, if you're in St. John's, you'll pretty much be forced to go with Rogers, but for everyone else in Canada, it should be a pretty clear decision.

Once you've decided to get a new iPad, picked out your color, and settled on your storage capacity, if you're going with the 4G LTE model of the new iPad in the US, the question becomes -- AT&T or Verizon, which carrier should you choose? For most of us, the decision will come down to two factors - coverage, pricing, and tethering.

Here's how it breaks down.

Pricing plans

Here's the pricing comparison chart that Apple displays on the ordering page for the new iPad. All plans are commitment free and paid month-to-month -- you can cancel at anytime.

So with regards to cost, you need to ask yourself how much data you plan on using. Realistically, if you have Wifi at home, work and school (if you're a student), you can probably get by just fine with AT&T's 250MB per month plan and save $5. On the other hand, for only $5 more, you can jump up to a full GB of data with Verizon.

The most popular plans will be the $30 plans, and at that price, AT&T gives you an extra gigabyte -- that's 50% more than Verizon's 2 GB. The $50 plans are identical on Verizon and AT&T.

In reality, these plans are fairly similar and pricing shouldn't be the sole-determining factor. It's more important that your carrier offers the data you want in the area you live your life.

LTE availability

In addition to price, you must also consider where each carrier offers coverage and if you're within that area. Here's a side by side comparison of Verizon's and AT&T's coverage maps (left is Verizon, right is AT&T).

Clearly, Verizon has much more LTE availability (green dots vs orange dots.)  If you live in an area where Verizon offers LTE and AT&T does not, your best bet is to probably go with Verizon, providing that their network is pretty solid in that area. If you're not sure, ask your family, friends, and coworkers who have LTE phones on Verizon's network.

If LTE is not available to you on either network, the next thing to look at is 3G coverage. If you live somewhere that only gets EDGE on AT&T (light blue on AT&T's map), Verizon is the way to go.

Most of you, however, will be in one of these last two categories: an LTE available area on both Verizon and AT&T, or, in a 3G, but not LTE available area on both Verizon and AT&T. For those of you in this category, I'm inclined to recommend AT&T, provided that the 3G network is stable in your area. Again, ask your friends, family, and coworkers for their experience.

Why AT&T, you ask? Because AT&T's HSPA and HSPA+ 3G networks are faster than Verizon's CDMA 3G network. It's all about the speed.

You can get a closer look at AT&T's coverage map here and Verizon's map here.

Tethering

If you want to have the ability to tether your iPad's network connection to your computer, then Verizon in your only choice. Verizon includes tethering in their data plans and does not come at an additional cost.

As of right now, AT&T does not offer this functionality.

Making the choice

So which one are you going to choose? Personally, since AT&T's LTE network is not available in my area, but Verizon's is, it was a no-brainer for me to choose Verizon (even though my iPhone is with AT&T). What about you?

• New iPad forum
• AT&T forum
• Verizon forum

Apple has increased the 20 MB app download limit to 50 MB when connected to a cellular network. This comes as a surprise, as it was not announced during today's event alongside the new iPad.

Previously, when connected to a 3G network, if you attempted to download an app the was over 20 MB, a popup would appear instructing you to connect to a Wi-Fi network in order to download. Now, that warning only appears when the app is over 50 MB -- which is a huge app; or, it used to be. Soon we'll be seeing Retina display iPad graphics included in universal apps, which could easily make even rather modest apps reach 50 - 60 MB.

Since the new iPad will be available with 4G LTE connectivity, the size increase makes perfect sense -- for LTE. Including 3G with the size increase is the cherry on top. Let's just hope it's enough. Those of us with capped data plans will just need to pay a little more attention to our monthly usage as app size increases.

Source: AppAdvice

Apple has just confirmed during their iPad event today that the new iPad will indeed have support for LTE. iMore had previously heard 4G LTE networking was a go for the new iPad, and indeed it is. The new iPad will have 2 LTE models, one for Verizon, and one for AT&T in the US and Rogers, Telus, and Bell in Canada.

We have not confirmed whether or not international LTE will be supported. Due to differences in frequency bands, it appears as if LTE may be a North America only feature unless Apple says otherwise. What we do know, is that you'll be good for up to 9 hours of surf time on 4G, which is pretty amazing in itself.

iPads equipped with 4G are showing up in Apple's inventory ahead of the iPad 3 event according to a 9to5Mac source. This would mean that 4G would not only be for US models, but for international models as well. This lines up with our recent prediction that the iPad 3 would indeed be equipped with LTE.

The 4G equipped variants are showing up in Apple's system as the following -

> MD369LL/A – IPAD WI-FI 4G 16GBLACK – USA.

If this is the lower model, it would also debunk the rumor of Apple releasing an 8GB iPad. That didn't seem likely , anyways , nor did the rumor that they may do away with the 64GB model. If the screen gets an overhaul like we expect, consumers are going to want that storage for high definition content more than ever.

Source: 9to5Mac

Once again, rumors are circulating about an Apple TV 3 update to accompany the new iPad 3/iPad HD. Adding yet more weight to previous reports, The Verge's Josh Topolsky says the new Apple TV will indeed be 1080p, and what's more:

According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple will update both the new Apple TV and the iPad 3 (or iPad HD, a name we first unearthed last year) not with the rumored, quad-core A6 system-on-a-chip, but rather the A5X, a dual-core SoC said to have a more powerful GPU. From what we're hearing, it's basically an A5 on steroids.

Our source was adamant that neither of the new products would be receiving the next generation chip — rather, that Apple seems to be waiting for the launch of the iPhone 5 to introduce the rumored A6.

iMore, and others including Daring Fireball's John Gruber, have heard the iPad 3 will be quad-core, and 9to5Mac has found code strings for both the A5X and A6 in iOS. Apple could have the different chips in different models, or could have decided to stick with dual core for battery reasons. We'll find out tomorrow.

Topolsky also paints a complex radio picture:

two distinct, separate versions of the LTE tablet ([one for AT&T, one for Verizon]). In addition, there's a third international model which does double duty on 3G; a CDMA / GSM model using a similar radio chipset to the iPhone 4S (a Qualcomm Gobi chip).

That would be two 4G LTE models for the U.S. (that could fall back on 3G), a 3G model for international markets (no LTE outside the U.S.), as well as the usual Wi-Fi only model.

Source: The Verge

Is this a genius marketing ploy by Verizon, a coincidence, or just plain laziness? With everyone now looking forward to the March 7th Apple event, Verizon has somehow found the time to put a new teaser up on their website.

Something Is Coming.

Given the rumors of the iPad 3 (or iPad HD?) coming equipped with 4G LTE, it's certain some people will take this page as a teaser for a Verizon LTE iPad. Of course, it's more likely Verizon is simply laying the groundwork for yet another Android phone or tablet, or simply trying to round up any stray email addresses they can.

Any way you want to look at it, though, it's very curious timing indeed. Anyone signing up...?

Source: Verizon

The same source that originally told iMore Apple would be holding their iPad 3 event on March 7 has now let us know that the announcement will include 4G LTE networking. We'd heard previously that 4G LTE would be coming to iOS in 2012, but not whether it would make the cut for iPad 3, or whether Apple would save it for iPhone 5 in October.

Sounds like LTE is good to go, though it remains to be seen how Apple will handle the many different 4G bands being used internationally. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that AT&T and Verizon would be getting LTE-equipped iPads, but had no word on carriers outside the U.S.

Verizon has the most to gain from an LTE iPad. Right now, Verizon is stuck carrying an iPad 2 that gets up to 3mbps on EVDO Rev. A, well below the theoretical 14.4mbps offered on AT&T's HSPA network. Given how far ahead Verizon is with LTE, that has to sting, as has to be something they want Apple to address.

Despite recent uncertainty about the process, iMore is also still hearing that the iPad 3 will ship with a quad-core processor. We'll find out one way or another on Wednesday.

For a complete rundown of all the rumors, check out our iPad 3 event preview or jump into our iPad 3 Forums.

Ready to add yet more quad-core, 4G LTE rumors to your iPad 3 launch list? Well, you better be because CNBC just tweeted the following:

ALERT: Quad-Core iPad 3 with 4G LTE to be unveiled in New York next week. -Sources

iMore reported on a quad-core iPad 3 with possible 4G LTE networking, set for a March 7 announcement a couple of weeks ago, so that part lines up nicely.

A New York unveiling would be unusual, however. The recent education event and last year's Verizon iPhone launch were both in New York, but every major product introduction in iOS history has been in or around Apple's home base of San Francisco/Cupertino.

Either way, with March 7 fast approaching, we should find out sooner rather than later.

As to the actual iPad 3 release date, we shared our most recent information with you over the weekend, but we should find out for certain next week.

UPDATE: Um, yikes. Looks like "cable channel CNBC" jumped the gun with that alert. They weren't confirming iMore's story, they were copying it and didn't provide attribution until after the fact. That's okay, we all make mistakes, but iMore had nothing to do with the New York City part of that story (we didn't hear it and didn't report it).

Source: @CNBC

We've seen a number of supposed iPad 3 parts recently, and this latest one shows the front glass and digitizer assembly with the layout remaining largely the same as that of the iPad 2, with no changes to the Home button, front-facing camera position or ambient light sensor arrangement. If the pictures, which come by way of Sina Weibo, are accurate, the only recognizable change is the ribbon cable on the side of the glass, which extends roughly half-way up the device as opposed to the iPad 2 which has a shorter cable with a sideways orientation.

A separate post from the same person claims the rumored A5X SoC includes a dual-core processor instead of quad-core, in addition to the iPad 3 coming with full support for Siri, which has so far remained exclusive to the iPhone 4S.

Other recent component leaks indicate a thicker, more tapered back, a logic board with possible A5X chipset and the supposed Retina display put under a microscope.

Additional notes indicate Apple plans to release iOS 5.1 alongside the iPad 3, which is expected to be announced on March 7th with a Retina display and possible 4G LTE. BGR previously heard rumors of iOS 5.1 hitting on March 9th, which could be when Apple plans to deliver devices to consumers, but we'll have to wait for the official announcement next month.

Source: Sina Weibo via Apple.pro, MacRumors

The iPad 3 rumor mill is chugging a long a full speed, this time showing us what's supposedly Apple's next generation tablet side-by-side with an iPad 2. These photos highlight a slightly thicker casing and more tapered edges, which falls in line with previous image leaks.

If accurate, these images from M.I.C. Gadget likely confirm that Apple will be modifying the casing of the next iPad to offer a thin feeling while ever-so-slightly extending the thickness of the device, most probably to allow room required for a higher quality 8 megapixel camera, Retina display, battery, and possible 4G LTE networking

The iPad 3 is expected to be announced on March 7th shortly before Apple is rumored to push out iOS 5.1 to the masses.

Source: M.I.C Gadget

Rene, Georgia, and Seth discuss apps that steal contacts, the China debate, iPad 3 and LTE, Clear, Death Call, Warm Gun, and Instagram apps, and the iCade 8-Bitty. This is iPhone & iPad Live!

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It looks like Best Buy is trying to offload some iPad 2 inventory on their internal employee auction website ahead of the iPad 3 launch. Offering internal employees reduced prices isn't an uncommon practice among retailers in the lead up to product refreshes from Apple, as some retailers offered the first-gen iPad at lower prices both internally and at retail stores before Apple officially announced the iPad 2 last year.

The iPad 3, which is expected to be announced on March 7th and to ship sometime soon thereafter. Expected features include high-resolution Retina display, quad-core Apple A6 processor, and possible 4G LTE support. (We'd also dearly love better cameras.)

Along with case leaks, constrained supplies, and tons of rumors, consider this just one of the many signposts that we see along the way, alerting us to the iPad 3 event, and release, coming up ahead.

With up to 38 different 4G LTE frequency combinations at play around the world, Apple would need to offer more than one iPad 3 model in order to support North America as well as Europe, Asia, and Australia

Following not only rumors by nearly every tech blog out there, but sources for both iMore and The Wall Street Journal are saying that the next version of the iPad will almost certainly come in an 4G LTE option. The Wall Street Journal says AT&T and Verizon are sure things, but what about everyone else? Not only is LTE up-and-comer Sprint not mentioned, but neither are carriers in Canada, the UK, or anywhere else in the world. Let's dig in a little to discuss if it would be worth Apple's while to make an iPad to work internationally.

LTE is a standard that is being used around the world, starting with TeliaSonera in Sweden and Norway back in 2009. In the US, you have AT&T, Verizon and even MetroPCS with various states of active LTE networks. In fact, there are over 30 countries that have commercial LTE service available, so pushing the standard into the iPad sounds like a no-brainer. That is, until you consider the frequencies used. Unlike GSM which used exclusively the 800, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz bands around the world, LTE is being used in nearly every band available. In North America, the 700 and 1700 MHz bands are the main bands for LTE, but 800, 1900, 2500 and possibly even 1500 MHz are in play. Add in the rest of the world, with 900, 1800 and 2600 MHZ, and you have the potential for up to nine bands that the radio chipset would have to support. Complicating matters even more, even in similar frequencies, there are multiple chunks of spectrum that don't overlap. For example, Verizon uses 746-787 MHz, while AT&T uses 704-746 MHz. While close, these different blocks have different equipment needed due to radio propagation and interference issues. Extrapolate this across the world, and we're now encompassing 38 different frequency combinations around the globe.

Now, a multi-band phone can only do so much. Look at the devices we have now, which include the bands for GSM on 800/900/1800/1900 MHz, and usually only three similar bands for 3G. If Apple is to make the LTE enabled versions available all over the world, a nine band LTE radio is not possible. Keep in mind that Verizon has essentially said that single band LTE devices are all they're going to be rolling out in the near future.

So going back to the question, is it worth Apple's while to make an iPad to work around the world? No, because they can't do it with just one device. However, it is worth it to make multiple devices. One will support the 700 and 1700 MHz bands in North America, and one for the 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz bands for Europe, Asia and Australia. At this time, the 900, 1500, 1900 and 2500MHz bands are outliers, and though will some day be used, aren't necessary for a successful international launch. Remember T-Mobile here in the states? Apple seems to be doing just fine without supporting their 1700 AWS spectrum.

I think the initial iterations of an LTE iPad are going to be similar to the iPhone 4 strategy. Recall the Verizon version shipped months after the AT&T/GSM version and only worked on the 800 and 1900 MHz bands for CDMA here in the US. Meanwhile, an international version worked on GSM and HSPA networks around the rest of the world. I expect the initial version to be rolled out for North America, launching in the US and Canada right away. Then a version with support for the most widely used blocks and bands for other parts of the world in the coming months.

Mickey Papillon host The Cell Phone Junkie Podcast and is a frequent contributor to Mobile Nations. Follow him @TCPJ_Mickey.

Following up on iMore's news today on the iPad 3 announcement, quad-core, and possibility of LTE the Wall Street Journal has now said LTE looks to be a lock as well.

Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. will sell a version of the coming iPad that runs on their newest fourth-generation wireless networks, according to people familiar with the matter, as the battle to cash in on big investments in mobile broadband heats up.

We noted earlier, Apple could release a 4G LTE variant model targeted specifically for Verizon and AT&T. Due to differences in frequencies for international carriers, like Rogers, Bell in Canada and others in Europe and Asia/Pacific, it's still unknown how wide-spread the LTE iPad 3 would be. Could Apple go U.S.-only for now? Again, Apple likely has these details decided already but they simply haven't all leaked out yet.

Also missing from the latest round of rumors is any mention of the U.S.'s third largest carrier, Sprint. While Sprint currently offer the iPhone, they don't have an iPad on their CDMA/EVDO rev A network at all. Considering Sprint won't start their deployment of LTE until mid 2012, and even then, only in six markets. Would they still get a 2-3mbps "slow" CDMA/EVDO rev A iPad 3... or nothing again?

So Retina display, quad-core, and now LTE seem good bets for iPad 3. Out of all of those, how important is 4G LTE to you, and what network would you most want it on?

Source: WSJ

According to sources who have been reliable in the past, Apple currently plans to hold their iPad 3 announcement on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Along with the 2048x1536 Retina display, the iPad 3 will feature a quad-core Apple A6 system-on-a-chip, and possibly 4G LTE networking.

The March 7 date fits with what AllThingsD reported last week, about the next iPad event being scheduled for the first week of March, and Wednesday is a traditional day for Apple to hold these types of events.

Whether Apple would simply improve and optimize the current dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor found in the Apple A5 SoC, or go quad-core has been a lingering question, with 9to5Mac finding code references to quad-core but The Verge hearing otherwise. However, it sounds like they're going quad-core.

4G LTE networking has been another mystery surrounding the iPad 3, with a compatible Qualcomm chipset becoming available, but international LTE coverage is still slim, and in some cases a year or more away. It sounds like Apple has 4G LTE lined up for iPhone 5 this October, but we're still not certain if the iPad 3 will get it earlier. Verizon is going to want iOS devices that go faster than 2-3mbps, of course, especially with AT&T offering HSPA 14.4, and potentially faster, models. Apple could release a 4G LTE variant model, targeted at Verizon, AT&T, Rogers, Bell, and other carriers that have rolled out enough support to see demand, or they could wait and debut it in the next iPhone instead. (No doubt Apple has already decided, it just isn't clear to us which way they went for the iPad 3.)

Other rumors from iLounge have included better cameras, either a 5 or 8 megapixel rear camera and a FaceTime HD front camera. We haven't received any information on these, though any camera Apple includes will have to fit into the thin iPad 3 casing. Likewise, they're probably going to want to keep component costs down low enough to maintain their $499 entry level price tag. (Even if Apple decides to keep iPad 2 around, with a low end, low storage offering at $399.)

Again, these are rumors, and an extract of a lot of information we're still trying to properly sort, but we'll update when and as needed to clarify and correct. Either way, we'll only know for certain when Apple executives take the stage next month to officially announce the iPad 3.

While we're still hearing conflicting rumors about super-fast LTE 4G networking for iPad 3 this spring or iPhone 5 this summer/fall, you'll be happy to hear that AT&T is preparing to replace their current microSIM card stock with LTE compatible versions.

Now the Andorid-powered Pantech Burst and the Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 900 are the likely targets, but there has been an awful lot of solid-ish talk about the iPad 3 lately, and even if we don't see an LTE iOS tablet soon, WWDC is looming along with the possibility of an iPhone 5. Whatever comes out next, it's hard to imagine it not having at least one model with LTE connectivity, and even less likely that they'll ditch the micro SIMformat.  

Verizon switched to LTE microSIM cards in October for the Samsung Stratosphere, so they'd be all set to go with any new Apple hardware as well. Sprint is still getting its feet wet with LTE through the Galaxy Nexus, so they may be next in line to start offering LTE microSIM cards -- we'll be keeping an eye out.

If there's no LTE in your area, we can understand if this doesn't matter very much to you... yet. But when it does come, and you start pulling 20-50mbps of data, you'll probably start to care a lot more.

Source: PhoneArena

It pretty much sounds like a given that we'll be getting a 2048x1536 Retina display, which means, at 9.7-inches it won't be quite as dense as the iPhone 4S but you'll likely be holding it further away from your eyes, effectively making the difference minor.

LTE 4G networking is harder to pin down. The Qualcomm chipset sounds like it's ready, but LTE simply isn't very widespread yet, and Apple has huge international sales. Apple currently offers three iPad 2 models: Wi-Fi, EVDO Rev. A, and GSM/HSPA. Could they switch to Wi-Fi, EVDO Rev A/HSPA+, and make the 3rd SKU an LTE model for carriers that support it (most importantly, Verizon?)

Quad-core Android tablets were announced earlier this year, does Apple have to meet that latest processor escalation? More cores open the door to more features, for example AirPlay uses the second core to mirror the iPad 2 display, but do we really need 4 yet? Since Apple controls both hardware and software, they can optimize the heck out of their processor and get performance that often feels better than greater spec'ed competition already.

Likewise 1GB of RAM and 128GB of NAND Flash memory storage. 1GB of RAM, especially with a Retina display, may open the door to even more spectacular gaming, especially if the GPU is also getting a boost as expected. The multitasking system could do with a healthy amount of available RAM as well. With Apple going to the iCloud it may not seem like on-device storage is as big a deal as it used to be, but with iBooks 2 making textbooks a reality, with the possibility of 1080p video support on the horizon, and with truly epic games needing a lot of storage space, it's definitely something that should be on the radar.

Almost 3 years later, and USB ports and SDHC card readers are still something we get asked about. Apple has their Camera kit dongle and that's likely all they'll ever have. Wireless is their future for files. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, would be great for moving the largest of the large files, at least until next-generation Wi-Fi is ready. But Thunderbolt is based on PCI Express architecture, the kind you find in PCs, and doesn't sound like it's iPad compatible yet.

Better cameras, however, are certainly iPad compatible. Granted, few people will be replacing tiny, pocketable point-and-shoots with iPads, but the current cameras are barely serviceable. Facetime HD up front feels like table stakes at this point, and something in the 5 to 8 megapixel range would be much better in back. If either the Retina display or LTE radio requires a bigger battery, making iPad 3 even slightly thicker, hopefully Apple has the depth to put a decent piece of glass in as well.

The iMore Nation are a demanding people and we make no apologies for that. We love our Apple devices because they're typically built beautifully and just work, and we're going to keep Apple's feet to the fire. Vote in the poll up top, and then tell us what's most important to you and why in the comments below!

The iPad 3 could be coming packed with a quad-core A6 chipset and support LTE speeds according to a source who claims to have access to the unannounced, unreleased device. BGR reports:

From the data in the photos, which contain the output from an iPad 3 using a development and debug tool called iBoot, we can infer plenty of information about the upcoming iPad 3. [...] The new processor will also apparently be a quad-core model, making the upcoming iPad 3 the fastest iOS device ever, we have been told.

The veracity of the data is, of course, uncertain. Previous rumors have claimed that iPad 3 production has started, as well as Foxconn issuing plans to build 5 new iPad production facilities in Brazil.

The A6 chipset noted in the debug tool, if accurate, carries a model number of S5L8945X with the iPad units themselves carrying model numbers of J1 and J2 (iPad 3,1 and iPad 3.2 respectively). This falls in line with what was uncovered in iOS 5.1 beta code. The rumor calls for one model being WiFi-only, and the other adding full support for LTE/CDMA/GSM. This should allow for Apple to release just one SKU across data-equipped iPad units for all major carriers, rather than a special LTE model for the limited markets that currently support it.

As far as rumors of when the iPad 3 might hit the streets, speculation of a March 2012 seem likely with Apple sticking to their historical release cycle, but we won't know for sure until Apple makes the announcement.

Source: BGR

While Apple CEO Tim Cook had a lot to say during the Apple Q1 2012 conference call, when asked about 4G LTE, bigger screen, and whether or not the mobile market had become a two-horse race between Android and iOS, Cook played his cards close to his chest.

Cook said he didn't think the mobile market was like Mac vs. Windows, where despite 20 quarters of consecutive growth, Apple's share remained in the single digits. In mobile, citing recent metrics reports, Cook said Apple and Google's Android remained in a tight race. Further, he wouldn't discount Microsoft either, saying that there was a horse in Redmond that always suits up and always runs, and will keep running.

We'll ignore how many other horses there are, we just want to be the lead one. 

Cook also managed to skirt question about Apple's LTE future and larger displays for iPhone, saying that with 37 million iPhones sold last quarter, customers appear happy with the current product.

Personally, we're just waiting to see what iPhone 5 is packing later this year.

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple has begun production of the iPad 3 for an expected March 2012 release.

[iPad 3] will sport a high-definition screen, run a faster processor and work with next-generation wireless networks, according to three people familiar with the product. [..] The tablet will use a quad-core chip, an enhancement that lets users jump more quickly between applications, two of the people said.

The March date is spot on, and the 2042x1536 Retina display screen is an easy bet at this point. Apple could go quad-core with the A6 chipset as competing tablets have recently done, but Apple's integrated hardware/software approach has thus far let them do more with less.

LTE still feels like a wildcard to me. While Verizon has better deployment and AT&T is starting to ramp up, Sprint and T-Mobile are behind and international carriers are hit and miss (and just like 3G GSM, frequencies are not always compatible).

The Retina display and A6 alone will make for a compelling upgrade, but for those in LTE areas, it could make it a no brainer.

Source: Bloomberg

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Georgia, Rene, Seth, and Engadget's Richard Lai talk iPad 3 on LTE, iOS code names, Facebook buying Gowalla, Infinity Blade II, Apple vs Samsung and Motorola, and Office for iPad. This is iPad Live!

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With Verizon leading the charge, and AT&T following on, Sprint has just elaborated on their own plans to launch an LTE (Long Term Evolution) 4G network beginning next year.

Sprint plans to launch 4G LTE on its 1900 MHz spectrum by midyear 2012 and complete the network build-out by the end of 2013. By the end of 2013, Sprint’s 4G coverage footprint is expected to cover more than 250 million people.

LTE is often considered true 4G (or at least truer until we get full voice-over-LTE), with theoretical downloads speeds of 50 Mbps or more. Given the availability of proper chipsets that allow for both thin devices and long battery life, Apple is rumored to be considering an LTE iPhone for 2012 as well.

Source: Sprint

Just like our good friends over at The Cell Phone Junkie have been saying pretty much all along, the Wall Street Journal's own people familiar with those briefed on the sources are now chiming in with WiMax- and LTE- (Long Term Evolution) busting reports of their own.

[The next generation iPhone] won’t operate on long-term evolution or WiMAX fourth-generation networks.

Which has always made sense, given the proper chipset for lower-powered LTE won't be ready until 2012 and WiMax has no real footprint outside of Sprint.

Still, iPhone 5/iPhone 4S should support HSPA+, which AT&T, Rogers, et. al will still call 4G anyway... But that will leave Verizon -- and Sprint, if they get the next generation iPhone today as expected -- stuck on the slower, more limited EVDO Rev A for another year. Would that weigh into your carrier choice at all?

Source: Wall Street Journal

We love our TiPb Nation tipsters and commenters because nothing gets past you guys -- including screenshots in the App Store of the new Dolphin Browser for iPhone that have the words Verizon and 4G in the top bar.

Did the developer somehow have access to pre-release Verizon LTE hardware from Apple, and some bumbling Will Farrell type intern forgot to remove the SIM card for one screenshot? Did a similarly bumbling Tina Fey style apprentice App Store reviewer fail to notice it during the infamous approval process and let it into the store?

Or is this just some really messed up, confusing screenshot (or deliberate Photoshop job), with 4G in the wrong place... that also got past the developer and the App Store reviewer and onto the store?

Let's be blunt -- if you're not in the TiPb Forums you're missing out on the best darn discussion in iPhone and iPad today, so head on over and register now!

• iOS 5 beta 6 bug report
• iOS 5 SMS design
• Sprint iPhone coming?
• AT&T LTE iPhone in the near future?
• Jailbreaking and unlocking forum

See you in the forums!

Right now iPhone 5, like any dark matter, can only be observed by its effects on others, including the log traces it leaves and the cases manufacturers leak. This time it's TechCrunch, citing an undisclosed developer who's iOS app, points to records of a never-before-seen dual-mode GSM/CDMA world phone.

The logs show that the app has been briefly tested by a handful of people using what is almost certainly an iPhone 5, evidently running iOS 5, sporting two distinct sets of mobile network codes (MNC) / mobile country codes (MCC). Those codes can be used to uniquely identify mobile carriers.

Sure enough, some registrations for the app – which the developer also asked not to be named – were logged from a new Apple device, using the MNC/MCC codes from both Verizon and AT&T.

Apple has had theoretical support for a world phone since switching to Qualcomm chips, but previous iPhone 4 models haven't enabled the feature. Turning it on would likely be bad news for those hoping iPhone 5 would sport LTE (the faster and closest to a "real" next generation wireless technology). HSPA+, a not-quite-as-fast but far more widespread "4G" protocol looks like a safer bet, though it would leave Verizon behind on the same EVDO Rev A speed the current iPhone supports. (See TiPb's guide to wireless network terminology for more on what this all means.)

In other words, Verizon could advertise a world phone but AT&T could say they have a 4G iPhone.

[TechCrunch]

A while back TiPb heard something that sounded so outlandish, so beyond the realm of possibility, that we decided not to publish it -- that AT&T's 4G LTE launch hero device could, in fact, be the iPhone. It still sounds outlandish, even though there hasn't been word one about which phone AT&T will launch with, but given the availability of the logical Qualcomm LTE chipset, it still seems beyond the realm of possibility.

But BGR recently caught glimpse of LTE references in a carrier-test build of iOS firmware, and now Engadget has heard that LTE equipment in the 700MHz and AWS frequencies is being installed in major Apple Stores in the US... by AT&T.

I'm not getting my hopes up, nor should you. AT&T could still launch an Android device and Apple could still wait for 2012 for an LTE powered iPhone 6. But as Hans Gruber said in Die Hard, Christmas is the time for miracles.

UPDATE: 9to5Mac says Verizon is also installing LTE equipment at Apple Stores. [9to5Mac]

[Engadget]

There are a couple of conflicting stories this weekend about wether or not Apple's upcoming iPhone 5 -- which could be set for launch on October 7 -- will have 4G LTE wireless networking built in.

BGR claims to have caught a glimpse at a plist file (preferences list) from an iPhone carrier that shows some interesting LTE info:

BGR has obtained evidence of an internal iOS test build from one of Apple’s major carrier partners, and buried in the firmware is a property list (.plist file) for LTE. This doesn’t necessarily mean every Apple device that’s about to be released will feature an embedded 4G LTE modem, but it certainly means Apple isn’t sitting on the sidelines as 4G LTE networks continue to roll out around the world.

The Cell Phone Junkie, however, points out that the chips Apple probably wants to use still won't be ready until 2012:

Typically, a switch in chips would require a 3-4 month production process on Qualcomm’s part for the initial order. This would mean if the iPhone 5 was using anything other than the MDM6600 for an October release, we would have likely heard about a leak (like the one from the The Street for it launch) for the switch to something different. And unless Apple is pushing the device launch into early 2012, I don’t see a chip switch happening this year.

So how do we reconcile these apparently conflicting reports? Apple almost certainly has LTE iPhones in the labs so they no doubt have iOS builds that can run the radio. It's possible the plist entry exists for lab testing but not for real world use.

That means we'd still get an HSPA+ "4G" iPhone 5 in 2011, but would still be waiting on an LTE 4G iPhone 6 in 2012.

Unless of course Apple's managed to work a miracle and decided to make iPhone 5 the first AT&T LTE device...

[BGR, The Cell Phone Junkie]

According to Reuters, a consortium of tech companies, including Apple, BlackBerry maker RIM, Microsoft, EMC, Sony, and Ericsson have won the auction to acquire Nortel's mammoth $4.5 billion dollar mobile patent portfolio. How much of that will come from Apple is currently unknown, though RIM is on the line for $770 million and Ericsson, $340 million. The companies are expected to pool the patents and use them both to protect against patent lawsuits and, of course, launch lawsuits of their own.

The patents cover "wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, Internet and semiconductor technologies", with the LTE 4G patents expected to become extremely valuable as networks and devices are upgraded to that standard.

If you noticed one major mobile company conspicuous by their absence, you're not alone. Google appears not to have been part of the winning bid, which is perplexing since, as a new entrant in mobile, they have one of the weakest existing patent portfolios.

"Google lost an unprecedented opportunity to acquire a major bargaining chip that would strengthen it at the mobile industry's intellectual property negotiating table."

"I'm afraid it won't get a similar opportunity in quantitative and qualitative terms any time soon."

Android manufacturers are already paying Microsoft licensing fees for Android, and are being sued by Apple. Android developers are being sued by Lodsys and while Apple has filed to intervene in the iOS-related lawsuits, Google is still missing in action.

What that means going forward is hard to say, but manufacturer and developer confidence is part of the currency of any platform and it needs to be invested in and protected.

[Reuters]

LulzSec dumped one last load of AT&T documents on the internet, which though outdated and never meant for public consumption, does give some insight into some of the things they were at least considering -- like speed and session-based pricing for their upcoming LTE network.

But one interesting tidbit is AT&T's apparent plan to market LTE data with various speed tiers, which it's calling "Speed Based Pricing." Verizon's about to switch to tiered pricing for its data plans (3G and 4G), but that's based on total consumption, not speed. The basic idea would be pay more, and you get faster LTE speeds. Not exactly a new premise -- cable companies have been doing this for Internet access for a while now, but it'd be an interesting change in the mobile space.

You could also pay for a session, or temporary speed boost if you needed it. Again, this is something broadband providers have been doing for a while.

Of course, we probably won't get our hands on LTE until iPhone 6 in 2012, but it's still interesting to see where the industry might be by then. Any of you have an interest in speed or session based pricing, or are data caps complicated enough already?

[LulzSec via Android Central]

The WSJ Blogs are throwing fuel on the fire on the rumors of a second iPad launch this year, but adding an LTE 4G twist.

“While most vendors appear fixated on matching the specs and features of iPad2, our checks suggest Apple will release iPad3 in time for the holiday season, sporting a better display and LTE capabilities.”

Daring Fireball first of thought out loud about the possibility of an updated iPad 2 or full on iPad 3 coming this year, and TiPb has heard a very similar story. Will it come to pass? Who knows. Apple doesn't pre-announce so they can make up their minds any time.

But it definitely sounds like the possibility is on the table. What do you think, could iPad go LTE before iPhone? And would Apple do it with anything less than the same 10 hour battery life?

[WSJ Blogs]

AT&T has stated they'll be deploying LTE across 5 cities this summer, paving the way for a 4G LTE iPhone which is expected to come in 2012.

AT&T Inc. said it plans to launch its super-fast wireless network in five cities this summer as it looks to catch up to Sprint Nextel Corp. and Verizon Wireless. The company earlier this year said it would speed up its deployment of the network, underscoring the importance of keeping pace in the wireless speed game.

AT&T LTE rollout will initially kick off in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio -- a modest deployment compared to Verizon, but at least it's a start. We already know Apple won't be hopping onto the LTE bandwagon until everything is ready, but this is a good sign that the wheels are now in motion.

AT&T recently tested their 4G network seeing speeds of around 28Mbps down and 10Mbps up, which should be a force to be reckoned with once coverage is adequate across the US.

So when it comes time for a 4G iPhone 6, who will you go with, AT&T or Verizon?

[WSJ]

GigaOM was able to play around with the trial LTE network that AT&T has setup at their Foundry space in Plano, TX, which just might be used by iPhone 6 in 2012. They were able to reach blazingly fast speeds, beating out Verizon's LTE performance without a hitch.

the highlight of the lab was that the Foundry is home to a trial Long Term Evolution network. I asked for a demo and got one. The speeds provided on the download side were about 28.87 Mbps, and were about 10.4 Mbps on the upload side.

The technology behind their test LTE network consists of both 700 MHz spectrum as well as the AWS band they already own (and want to get more of by purchasing T-Mobile USA).

Keep in mind that AT&T's LTE network isn't going to see the light of day for some time, but it's also important to note the speeds they saw were reflective of 'real-world' performance. By comparison, Verizon users see on average ~10Mbps down and ~5Mbps up, so that's a pretty significant difference in speed.

Are you excited as we are to see the iPhone taking advantage of these 4G speeds on AT&T's network down the road? And will the new network finally bring with it reliability to match?

[GigaOM]

Forbes reports that Jefferies & Co analyst Peter Misek has proudly entered our iPhone 5 release pool , adding his voice to the many others that claim Apple will be releasing the iPhone 5 in September. Sort of. Misek states Apple will be going with 'iPhone 4S' as the name, following in the footsteps of the 3G to 3GS upgrade, and will not support LTE because the Qualcomm chipset isn't ready just yet. He also believes Sprint and T-Mobile will be onboard at launch.

According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support [...] As for LTE, he says the Qualcomm LTE chipset Apple would have used “is currently not achieving yields sufficient for inclusion in the iPhone 5.”

But he also says that “industry checks indicate Apple will likely announce Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers.”

Adding China Mobile would further propel Apple's presence in the Chinese smartphone market. Rumors of the 'iPhone 4S' name picked up last month when some developers were reportedly receiving beefed up iPhone 4 units for testing purposes.

Expectations that the next iPhone will be released in September have been mounting, but Apple could always have a surprise up their sleeve at WWDC in June.

What are your thoughts?

[Forbes]

Apple doesn't currently make or market an iPhone 4G but given recent North American marketing shenanigans by the carriers, they might just get one sooner than anticipated. There was a time when 4G applied to really fast, really next generation mobile connectivity, like fully implemented voice/data LTE approaching 100 Mbps. Then Sprint launched Wi-Max as 4G. Then T-Mobile rebranded HSPA+ as 4G. Then Verizon deployed early stage LTE as 4G. Then AT&T rebranded their slower HSPA+ as 4G. 100 Mbps got shoved aside, and 21 Mbps, even 14.4 Mbps became "4G". Canadian carriers, which had previously called their 14.4 Mbps and even 21 Mbps HSPA+ networks "3G" have recently rebranded them to "4G" as well so as not to seem old and outdated. (For more on what all these terms mean, check out our networking glossary.)

No doubt it's easier to change a name than change a network, and easier to slap the letters 4G onto a phone than actually getting a real, power efficient, lightning fast 4G radio into one. But that's no excuse.

Verizon is arguably the closest with their early stage LTE deployment and phone like the Thunderbolt that don't get great battery life but do get amazing speeds.

My counterpart over at Android Central, Phil Nickinson has done a review of the Verizon LTE HTC Thunderbolt (and also told the carriers to kindly cut out the 4G smoke in our eyes), while PreCentral.net's Derek Kessler has just reviewed the AT&T HSPA+ HP Veer 4G.

The iPhone isn't expected to go LTE until 2012 but iPhone 5 might just go HSPA+ this fall. (14.4 or 21 Mbps, who knows?) And guess what, AT&T will probably call it "4G"...

...Especially since the CDMA version on Verizon will still be "3G" EVDO Rev A for another generation.

That's a huge competitive advantage, but hugely confusing for users.

Mickey Papillon nailed the Verizon iPhone and the chipset it would be using a year before it was announced, so when he says LTE just might be coming to iPhone 6 in 2012 via the Qualcomm MDM9615, we're going to pay attention.

Back in February, Qualcomm unveiled it’s next generation of chipsets, including the MDM9615. This chip will provide enhancements in modem performance, power consumption, board area and BOM expense, exactly what Apple is looking for in its devices. The 9615 will support LTE (FDD and TDD), DC-HSPA+, EV-DO Rev-B and TD-SCDMA. This single chip [will likely live alingside] what we will all know as the A6 processor, and will be available in late 2011, perfect timing for Apple to start testing and ready them for production.

(If you're not familiar with all those telecommunications terms, check out our networking glossary.)

So February 2011 introduced the stand-alone Verizon iPhone, fall 2011 will bring the dual-mode iPhone 5, and 2012 will crank this up with an LTE iPhone 6?

Sounds good to me. What do you think?

[The Cell Phone Junkie]

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Rene, Georgia, and Mickey Papillon, the Cell Phone Junkie, discuss more iPhone 5 rumors, iOS 4.3.1 bug fixes, the AT&T T-Mobile buyout and what it means for iPhone, when will we get LTE, AT&T's war on Jailbreak tethering, lawsuits, Google, #dickbar, and more! This is iPhone Live!

Show notes and all the week's iPhone news after the break!

Announcements

• White Diamonds artistic crystal cases for iPhone and iPad [Give away]

iPhone 5

• iPhone 5 NFC: Yes, no, maybe so?!
• More iPhone 5 metal back, 4-inch screen, NFC rumors

iOS 4.3.1

• iOS 4.3.1 coming within 2 weeks?

Carriers

• UPDATED: AT&T acquiring T-Mobile US, what does it mean for iPhone?
• AT&T to use T-Mobile spectrum for LTE
• UPDATED: AT&T cracking down on jailbroken MyWi users?
• More on AT&T’s war on Jailbreak tethering
• Second AT&T iPhone 4 commercial again shows off simultaneous voice and data

News

• Apple release three new “if you don’t have an iPhone…” ads
• Apple’s new iPhone ads should be called App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store
• Head of Mac OS X software, Bertrand Serlet is leaving Apple
• Apple to extend AirPlay video streaming licence to third parties?
• Microsoft announces remote device management… for iPhone and iPad?
• Apple sues Amazon over App Store trademark, Microsoft sues B&N over Android
• Sony Xperia Play videos get NSFW on iPhone!

Apps

• Google updates Latitude and Places apps, check-ins now included
• Controversy over the Apple approved ‘Anti-Gay app’
• Angry Birds Rio for iPhone, iPad released!
• TiPb Asks: What Twitter app are you using for your iPhone?

Hosts

• @reneritchie
• @GeorgiaTiPb
• @TCPJ_Mickey

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You -- iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

AT&T has confirmed they'll be using their newly announced T-Mobile US acquisition -- more specifically T-Mo's 1700MHz AWS spectrum (currently providing 3G and "4G" HSPA+) -- for a bigger, better LTE rollout ("4GS?"). See the slide above for details.

Apple hasn't announced any plans for an LTE iPhone or iPad yet but as the technology matures and coverage improves they almost certainly will. Meanwhile we can hope for better HSPA+ support in iPhone 5, as current iPhone and iPad radios max out at 7.2Mbps.

(See TiPb's guide to wireless networking terms for what all that alphanumeric soup means.)

We spent quite a bit of time talking about this, and other elements of the deal, on iPad Live! last night so if you missed it, be sure to check it out when it hits iTunes and RSS tonight.

If you're a current AT&T iPhone user, do you think the new, combined network might finally resolve the long-standing coverage and connection problems? Does it give you any greater faith in a solid LTE rollout?

[AT&T via Android Central]

Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Verizon Chief Executive Daniel Mead addressed reports of slower than expected Verizon iPhone sales by re-iterating that the launch was the most successful in their history. While he wouldn't give specific figures prior to their next earnings releases, he said they carefully planned online sales and a staggered rollout to spread out purchasing.

Mr. Mead said more than 60% of iPhone sales occurred online. That heavy activity online contributed to short lines on launch day, which were noted by many news outlets. "If we had not done online, you would have seen a much different flow in the pictures," he said. In a few days, the company will double the number of stores that sell the iPhone, going from 4,000 to 8,000.

They also expect Apple to eventually offer an iPhone and iPad that work on their 4G LTE network:

"You'll see more coming from Apple on LTE," he said. "They understand the value proposition of LTE and I feel very confident that they are going to be a part of it."

AT&T iPhone comes out the same time of year, every year, when contracts are ready for renewal and/or AT&T offers early renewal. The was no cycle for the Verizon iPhone -- unless by pure chance your contract was up or you don't care about subsidies many people are probably waiting until their next upgrade -- maybe even waiting for iPhone 5.

Perhaps Verizon staggering the availability, doing pre-orders and opening online orders early lowered lineups, but everything about the launch disfavored lines.

We'll know for sure when the numbers come out, but what's your hunch?

[WSJ]

China Mobile Chairman, Wang Jianzhou, was quoted yesterday saying that Apple will support next-gen TD-LTE.

These two years we have been discussing the issue. Right now the situation is moving forward. Apple has made it clear they will support TD-LTE.

China Mobile, has been negotiating with Apple for years, to develop a TD-SCDMA supported iPhone for their current 3G network, and TD-LTE for their future 4G network.

China Mobile hasn't signed a deal with Apple yet because Apple doesn't currently support TD-SCDMA, which China Mobile use for their 3G network, but with Apple's new CDMA phone for Verizon, Wang hopes that Apple will consider supporting TD-SCDMA.

We hope that when they develop the next-generation models, since Apple can create CDMA, they can also consider developing TD-SCDMA.

The iPhone is currently only available in China on China Unicom, which lacks the subscriber base that China Mobile has.

Given the size of the Chinese market and Apple's huge growth there over the last few quarters, any chance Apple might support LTE sooner than we think?

[Reuters]

Reading up on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Apple TV and wondering what all those data specifications and cellular networking terms mean? From 2G to WDCMA, 802.11 to Bluetooth, we've got you -- and every wireless term we can think of -- covered below!

For even more iOS and Apple-related terms see our complete iPhone and iPad glossary. And as always, if we're missing anything, add additions and corrections in the comments below!

[Special thanks to The Cell Phone Junkie, Mickey Papillon for help compiling this list!]

• 2G: Second generation data networking used by iPhone and iPad. Think of this like old-fashioned dial-up modems. (see EDGE.)

• 3G: Third generation data networking used by iPhone and iPad. Think of this like base level broadband Internet (cable/DSL). 3G is symbolized on the iPhone and iPad by 3G next to the carrier logo. (see HSPA and EVDO.)

• 4G: Forth generation data networking. Also a marketing term used by Sprint for WiMax, T-Mobile for HSPA+, and AT&T for HSPA+. Think of this as super-fast broadband Internet (cable/fiber). (See HSPA, HSPA+, LTE)

• 802.11: The standard used for WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), typically referred to as Wi-Fi, connections on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. While older models supported only 802.11b/g, 2010 models added support for the faster, longer range 802.11n standard. (Only iPad supports 802.11n on the clearer 5Mhz frequency, however.)

• A2DP: Advanced Audio Distribution Profile is a Bluetooth standard used to transmit and receive stereo music. Added to iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad in iOS 3. It's what lets you send iPod music to your wireless stereo Bluetooth headset.

• Airplane Mode: A Setting on iPhone and iPad that turns off all radios, including cellular voice, data, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Called Airplane Mode because these radios are typically required to be turned off while on an airplane.

• AVCTP: Audio/Video Control Transport Protocol allows for the transmission of basic music controls between devices and accessories. Only properly supported for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad since iOS 4. It's what lets you play, pause, fast forward, rewind, and skip through music and video via wireless stereo Bluetooth headsets.

• Bluetooth: Named after a Danish King (seriously), Bluetooth is a wireless technology used for exchanging short-range (under 30-feet) data between electronic devices. iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad support Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for better security and simpler pairing. Apple currently supports Bluetooth for wireless phone headsets, stereo headsets, keyboard connections, and data tethering.

• CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access is an underlying network standard and the common abbreviation for CDMA2000, the technology used by Verizon and Sprint in the US.

• CDMA2000: The networking technology used by Verizon and Sprint. A single CDMA tower typically has a longer range and thus provide greater coverage than a single GSM tower.

• EDGE: Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution, also called 2G, 2.5G or 2.75G depending on the data speed, is an older data network used by carriers like AT&T. The original iPhone was EDGE-only. Current iPhones can use EDGE when 3G is not available (or on T-Mobile in the US where 3G frequencies aren’t compatible). Real world EDGE speeds max out around 150Kbps and do not allow simultaneous voice and data (calls will not come through while using EDGE data). EDGE is symbolized on the iPhone and iPad by the uppercase letter E. iPhone 4 and iPad support EDGE on the 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz frequencies.

• EVDO: EVolution Data Optimized is the 3G networking technology used by CDMA carriers like Verizon. EVDO Rev A can achieve speeds up to 3.1 Mbps but cannot handle simultaneous voice and data, but does allow incoming calls to come through during an active data session. (Answering an incoming call will shut off the data connection.) EVDO Rev B can handle voice and data but is not planned for deployment by any US carriers. iPhone 4 supports CDMA EV-DO Rev. A on 800, 1900 MHz.

• GPRS: General Packet Radio Service is the oldest and slowest form of data networking available to GSM iPhones and iPads. Data rates are typically below 50 Kbps. GPRS is symbolized on the iPhone and iPad by the lowercase letter o.

• GSM: Global System for Mobile communication is the underlying technology standard used by AT&T and T-Mobile in the US and the majority of carriers in Europe and around the world.

• HSPA: High Speed Packet Access is a fast form of 3G data networking. The iPhone and iPad support HSPA up to 7.2 Mbps (AT&T currently supports up to 14 Mbps in some areas). Typically split into HSDPA (download) and HSUPA (uplink/upload). iPhone 4 and iPad support UMTS/HSPA on the 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz frequencies.

• HSPA+: Enhanced High Speed Packet Access is a faster form of 3G data networking, now called 4G in T-Mobile and AT&T’s marketing. Apple will support HSPA+ in 2011. Top speeds can reach 56 Mbps. Bell and Telus currently offer 21 Mbps HSPA+.

• LTE: Long Term Evolution is a 4G networking technology currently being deployed by Verizon and scheduled to be deployed by AT&T, Canadian carriers, and others. Theoretical speeds are measured in the hundreds of Mbps but initial implementations haven’t reached those yet. Likewise initial implementations only use LTE for data while future versions could be pure IP-based for both voice and data. Neither iPhone nor iPad yet support LTE.

• Personal Hotspot: Introduced with the Verizon iPhone and iOS 4.3 it replaces Tethering and, on iPhone 4, adds the ability to share cellular data over a Wi-Fi connection with up to 5 additional devices. Availability will depend on carriers and some may/will charge extra for it. Think of it as a built-in MiFi or the ability to turn your iPhone into a mini mobile Wi-Fi router.

• Tethering: Sharing your iPhone's cellular data connection with your laptop via USB (dock cable) or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Available since iOS 3 though AT&T only chose to support it with iOS 4. Not available on all carriers and some carriers charge extra for it. Replaced in iOS 4.3 with Personal Hotspot.

• UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System is a 3G, transitioning to 4G networking technology. WCDMA (including HSPA) is part of UMTS.

• WCDMA: Wideband Code Division Multiple Access is a UTMS technology which, while easily confused with the CDMA network used by Verizon, is actually associated with GSM networks like HSPA.

AT&T isn't getting an LTE iPhone 4G any time soon but they are launching 4G, in fact -- look up, look down -- they just did! Actually, what they did was call HSPA+ "4G" because it goes faster than regular old HSPA 3G and because T-Mobile is already doing that and Sprint is calling WiMax "4G", and Verizon is calling early LTE "4G", so why not? And when real LTE 4G comes out, that could be called 4G as well (though I bet they'll call it 5G to have even more Gs, because that's better, right?)

I got to watch a little of the brouhaha unfold this morning live in the CES hallways and after talking it over with some fellow bloggers the nut seems to be this -- AT&T might get an HSPA+ iPhone "4G" later this year or next year or maybe they'll get an LTE iPhone 4G in 2012, but we don't know and the terms are so deliberately marketing skewed it doesn't mean much anyway at this point. (iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 only supports HSPA 7.2, not the much faster HSPA+ 21 carriers like Bell and Telus have been offering for a while already.)

All you really have to know is this -- future iPhones will be faster, most years by a little, once in a while by a lot.

[Update: BGR says maybe HSPA+ "4G" next year]

We now return you to our regularly scheduled Verizon, iPhone 5, and iPad 2 rumors...

According to Reuters Apple and Google might be in a battle for the once mighty Nortel Networks patent portfolio, an acquisition that could help either of the two companies gain an edge in the mobile industry.

Nortel filed bankruptcy back in January of 2009 and the vast majority of their business has been sold off with the exception of their large number of patents that could aide in the improvements of mobile communications. There is said to be over 4,000 patents with a suspected value of around $1 billion and sources are saying Apple and Google both want a piece of these patents to protect themselves from giants such as Nokia in the courtroom.

There has been one round of bidding on those patents, this has been completed, said one source, who declined to be identified because the process is private. And what Nortel has done is divide the patents up into different lots covering different kinds of technologies.

The big draw for Apple and Google mainly seems to lie with Nortel's patents on third and fourth generation wireless technology which include the coveted LTE (Long Term Evolution). Other patents that would greatly aide in either companys future include patents for wireless handsets and infrastructure, as well as optical and data networking, Internet, Internet advertising, voice and personal computers.

It is certainly a very significant stockpile of potent weaponry, and whoever lays their hands on it is going to gain significant advantage, said Alexander Poltorak, chief executive of General Patent Corp, which advises companies on intellectual property strategy and valuation but is not advising anyone involved in the Nortel patent auction.

Bids for these patents are due within the next few weeks and it will be interesting to see if either one of these giants companies ends up walking away with these patents in their hands. Can either company afford to allow the other to gain all of these seemingly important patents or might they both wind up maybe splitting some of the patents? We will have to wait and see what unfolds and hopefully whoever wins these patents will make good use of them and improve devices and operating systems for all of us consumers to enjoy.

[ Reuters via MacRumors ]

'Tis the season for silly rumors and while it's always unpossible (Google it) to rule out everything, the latest "Verizon is getting an LTE iPhone 4G right after Christmas" round seems a lot more naughty than nice.

The reasonable parts are reasonable enough: Verizon has been training for the iPhone launch, there'll be an announcement after Christmas so as not to ruin AT&T's last big holiday season hurrah, the Verizon iPhone is "100% cooked", and... that's where it seems to fall off the rails.

According a single "source familiar with the matter" (not Phil Schiller's Twitter account, obviously), MacDailyNews reports:

• The Verizon iPhone will be LTE and exclusively so
• Verizon management already has it in their hands
• It'll also be CDMA compatible, since LTE is limited
• iPhone 5 this summer is supposed to be LTE for everyone
• Steve Jobs is "pissed" carriers can't "get their LTE $#1t together
• Apple is helping carriers build out their LTE more quickly by giving them cash

Apple spending money on carrier networks strikes me as a special kind of funny, but the thing all these rumors keep coming back to for me is technology. LTE is just starting to go live in only a few major markets. Apple waited an extra year before going to 3G. LTE is by no means international so that's even fewer markets for a company that usually targets most of the world. First generation LTE radios are also going to be big and power hungry, and currently the hand off between LTE and CDMA is anything but elegant (you want to wait 2 minutes to get your fast signal back on the road?). There aren't even any Android LTE phones on Verizon yet, and they're typically riding the bleeding edge on WiMax and HSPA+.

Apple is all about user experience. I could well be wrong, but nothing in the LTE parts of this rumor sound like they'll help user experience in any way.

There's simply no compelling reason for Apple to launch an LTE iPhone 4G on Verizon -- or anywhere -- right now. And that's usually the first sign Apple won't do it.

[MacDailyNews, thanks Glenn!]

Verizon has officially launched their 4G LTE network with a website, press release... but no phones yet, and especially no LTE iPhone 4G. Non-iPhone LTE phones should come by mid-2011 though we'll probably get some sneak peaks at CES this January. Rumors still heavily suggest an iPhone 4 on Verizon early next year but just like Apple stuck to EDGE for iPhone 2G, it's assumed they'll be sticking to CDMA for the Verizon iPhone.

This LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment is just the beginning of the slow, steady march towards true, fantastically fast 4G connectivity and early radios will no doubt be battery hogging, network clogging, voice-hybrid technology. Based on previous behavior, Apple will avoid them and put out an LTE iPhone 4G (and iPad 4G) in 2012 or 2013 when the radios are more mature and the networks better built out.

Still, it's fun to dream, and if you're really hyped up about some LTE hyperspeed, Verizon has broadband plans ready to go:

4G LTE Mobile Broadband Data Plans, Devices and Coverage Areas Verizon Wireless customers can choose from two 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans: $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance or $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance, both with $10/GB overage. For laptop connectivity, two 4G LTE USB modems will be initially available: the LG VL600 is available at launch and the Pantech UML290 will be available soon, each $99.99 after $50 rebate with a new two-year agreement. Both USB modems provide backward-compatibility with Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. If laptop users travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, they will automatically stay connected on the company’s 3G network.

So you could always turn the tables and tether from your laptop while you wait... right?

[Android Central]

Apple might create a dual mode CDMA/GSM iPhone 5 based on Qualcomm chipset in 2011 and push LTE 4G support into 2012 and iPhone 6 according to TechCrunch contributor Steve Cheney:

First things first — the iPhone CDMA model due in January won’t support LTE. But here’s where it gets really interesting: sources tell me that the iPhone refresh in mid-2011 won’t support LTE either. Instead, Apple will produce a dual mode iPhone containing 3G flavors of GSM and CDMA, which operates on all carriers worldwide. If this holds true, Apple won’t support the LTE standard until some time in 2012.

TiPb, thanks to the Cell Phone Junky, Mickey Papillon, first hinted at Qualcomm supplying CDMA/GSM chipsets to Apple way back at CES 2010. That Apple would stick with 3G HSPA/EVDO through 2011 isn't a huge surprise since the original iPhone eschewed 3G and remained EDGE only.

One iPhone across every carrier on the planet maintains their huge economies of scale, their iconic, singular iPhone brand, gives LTE time to shake out, and -- of course -- gives Apple something to offer as an upgrade in 2012.

So are you happy it looks like you're getting your Verizon iPhone, angry you aren't getting your super-fast LTE 4G iPhone, or both?

[TechCrunch]

Chief executive Ivan Seidenberg told investors he hopes Apple will build a Verizon iPhone for their upcomming 4G LTE network. He said nothing about an iPhone being built for Verizon's current CDMA network, however, so contrast that as you will against recent rumors of Apple building 3 million CDMA iPhones in December for an early 2011 launch.

"We don't feel like we have an iPhone deficit. We would love to carry it when we get there, but we have to earn it," Seidenberg said.

"I think 4G will accelerate the process, and any other decisions Apple makes would be fine with us," he added. "Hopefully, at some point Apple will get with the program."

Either way, it will be an interesting couple of months comming up. Verizon is currently the largest carrier in the US and they have promised 4G LTE in 30 NFL markets by the end of 2010. AT&T is also working on their 4G network with promises of a mid-2011 rollout.

What do you think, will a Verizon iPhone happen soon on CDMA, will they wait for 4G, or will it just never happen? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

[Yahoo News, AppleInsider]

This is an official entry by BriantT in TiPb’s next top blogger contest. Think you have what it takes to join Team TiPb? Bring it!

Rumors are saying the iPhone is coming to Verizon as soon as this summer. On LTE. Which follow rumors saying, due to AT&T's iPad deal, iPhone on Verizon was pushed back to 2011. Which followed rumors iPhone on Verizon would be the "one more thing" at the iPhone OS 4 event. Which followed--

Enough. Since 2007 all we've gotten is rumor after conflicted rumor that the iPhone is coming out on Verizon later in the year, no in 2012, no yesterday, no....

Forget it. There're almost certainly CDMA and LTE iPhones deep beneath Cupertino in the Apple labs, just as there were Intel Macs for years before they were released. Apple can release a CDMA or LTE iPhone whenever they feel like it. Verizon can put a CDMA or LTE iPhone on their network whenever they feel like. That is, whenever they're contractually allowed to and come to a financial arrangement (which could be tomorrow, or never, getting the idea yet?)

In other words, we'll believe it when Steve holds it up on stage.

[Engadget]

According to the Wall Street Journal, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson took the opportunity, while speaking at an investor conference, to once again talk about the iPhone remaining on his network, and also touch on the iPad, problems in New York and San Francisco, variable pricing, and Apple's new darling, the iPad.

• While Stephenson doesn't seem to have insisted the iPhone would remain exclusive on AT&T, he does say the iPhone will remain an important part of their offerings for "quite some time".
• He's pleases with the steps AT&T is taking to address network problems and dropped calls in New York and San Francisco. "We're hitting our metrics," he said. "I feel really good about our path." And call quality should improve by mid-2010.
• Stephenson claims AT&T is carrying half of US wireless traffic due to the amount of data use the iPhone generates. Carriers will have to eventually move to "variable pricing" so that heavy users are charged more and light users, less.
• AT&T is "not in a tremendous hurry" to roll-out their 4G network; it won't be widely available, and there won't be a good amount of products using it, until 2012

So if we mash that all together, even if the iPhone also pops up elsewhere, you'll still be able to get it on an improved AT&T network with tiered pricing (perhaps similar to the iPad's $15 for 256MB, $30 for unlimited) until LTE is wide spread in 2012 and the iPhone 4G replaces everything.

How's that grab you?

AT&T has openly admitted that they have selected Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson as their LTE equipment suppliers and even better is the fact they are on track for a 2011 LTE rollout. 2011 is dead on with the information we gave you almost one year ago stating that LTE would in fact be here on AT&T in 2011 with the slight chance it would be delayed until 2012.

Now don't fret when it comes to the existing 3G network that many of you have issues with. AT&T promises to keep working to improve that for you as well. They are not abandoning you... yet.

It is important to remember that sometimes plans do change, so don't shoot the messenger if things don't pan out next year.

[Via Engadget]

Fox News is reporting that AT&T outbid all other GSM providers in offering those reasonable $14.99 and $29.99 data plans for the iPad, and while Verizon and Apple are still discussing both the iPhone and iPad, there's still nothing approaching an agreement in place.

What about all those rumors of Verizon getting the iPhone like, now?

the two companies are still "very much talking and plan to bring an iPhone and an iPad" to the CDMA network this year, following the expiration of AT&T's exclusive agreement with Apple.

Still talking? These guys have been talking since 2006 before the launch of the first iPhone! Stop talking already and consummate the darn relationship -- or walk away. When asked for comment about these on-going talks, Verizon spokesman Jeff Nelson said, "no comment," so officially the company isn't talking about the talks.

Bottom line then, it still could be later in the year, could be as far away as LTE next year or the year after.

[Fox News via Apple Insider]

Techcrunch reports sources claiming Verizon is racing to get 20-40 markets up and running on their 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network by Q1 2010 to coincide with an iPhone and iTablet launch.

Verizon is getting 60Mbps in 4G tests which is admittedly ZOMG fast, and since they're going with LTE, this network will be theoretically compatible with AT&T and other GSM carriers also moving to the same technology.

And yes, it does sound too good to be true, but we won't go all Leo Laporte on them just yet...

We know you want your iPhone on Verizon. But what about your iTablet. And are you willing to wait for LTE to get it? Let us know in our poll!

[Thanks Icebike for the tip!]

We'd mentioned previously that AT&T is upgrading the ole rabbit-eared 3G network for Apple's upcoming next generation iPhone, and WMExperts covered it yesterday, but it's worth surfacing the details:

AT&T Mobility VP Scott McElroy says software updates will double the downstream speed to 7.2 megabits per second and are already being tested in two markets [...] But AT&T's looking past that and toward HSPA+, which will increase speeds to 21 Mb/s. And looking even further into the future, tests with the 4G LTE standard should begin sometime next year.

A helpful commenter, Will, gave us the skinny on those phat pipes after the last podcast:

• Plain ‘ol 3G refers to the original WCDMA specs which gives a max throughput of 384 kbps.
• 3.5G in the UMTS world commonly refers to HSDPA which is already up and running.
• "3.75G" - 3GPP Revision 6 - HSDPA (max of 14.4Mbps) and HSUPA (max of 5.76Mbps), known together as HSPA
• "3.9G" - 3GPP Revision 7 - HSDPA (max of 42Mbps) and HSUPA (max of 11Mbps), known as HSPA+

Thanks Will. Well, by any other name, we hope these upgrades not only give iPhone users blazing fast speeds, but better reliability. Doesn't matter how fast you go if you can't connect, right?

According to the Wall Street Journal (via Apple Insider), Verizon thinks that technology may finally give them a chance for a second bite at this not-at-all proverbial Apple after all. At least CEO Ivan Seidenberg really, really thinks so.

Ah, Verizon. First you said, "no thanks!" when Apple offered you the original iPhone. Then you thought you'd just wait for Steve Jobs to disappear and take his iPhone with him. Despite a huge segment of your users still clamoring for the iPhone, you gave them the BlackBerry Storm instead. When that fizzled, you looked to Nokia for an "iPhone Killah", but ultimately asked your customers if they would have stayed for the iPhone you first rejected.

Now you see a chance for redemption in the next generation 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network technology that GSM carriers like AT&T and CDMA carriers like Verizon are both racing towards.

Will Apple end exclusivity with AT&T to grow into other user bases? Will Verizon get its second chance? Hey, if all else fails, at least domestic unlockers may appreciate an option other than T-Mobile for future generation US iPhones, right?

So yesterday we linked to Zach Epstein's story over at BGR, the one about an internal Rogers briefing call that claimed Vancouver would be enjoying some 4G LTE at 50Mbps+ just in time for the Winter Olympics.

Rogers contacted us almost immediately to say the story was inaccurate and the call never happened, and we contacted Zach who was gracious enough to get back to us, reaffirming the story. Now the BGR has kicked it up another notch, posting audio from the supposed call online.

Real? Fake? A "leak it so we sound innovative but deny it so if it doesn't launch we had coverage" tactic? Take a listen to the recording and tell us what you think...

UPDATED AGAIN: BGR is sticking by their story. Interesting times, eh?

UPDATE: We just received an email from Rogers stating:

"While we generally don't comment on speculation or rumour, this posting is not accurate. Rogers was involved in no such call."

ORIGINAL: So we've heard about AT&T and the EU, and we've heard about Verizon. Now it's Canadian iPhone carrier, Rogers' turn. The BGR brings word they're pouring on the 4G LTE in hopes of launching in Vancouver in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in February.

Reportedly 50Mbps (un-optimized) is already a go on tests, and while no handsets will be available until mid-2010, USB dongles should launch sooner. Following Vancouver, Rogers plans to expand the network, and vows they'll have less problems than their 3G HSPA launch. (We all hope!)

In the mixed bag-of-hurt department, it sounds like Rogers is also going to try to help out their over-strained cable business by merging it with 4G and Portable Internet.

You've told us and told us you want the iPhone on Verizon. There's two reasons that hasn't happened already. AT&T has exclusive rights in the US (Verizon, stupidly, turned down the iPhone initially), and the iPhone is a GSM device while Verizon runs a CDMA network (think Mac vs. PC). And, hey, Sprint can't even get simultaneous voice and data going on the Pre with CDMA/EVDO, okay?

However, it seems like Verizon is going to the same LTE standard as AT&T for 4G, and hopes to do Ma Bell one better by bringing it to market by the end of THIS YEAR. (AT&T will be testing this year, rolling out in 2011, and the EU has delayed until 2012!) Gizmodo says it's already running at 60Mbps, so...

With compatibility hurdles clearing in the future, will exclusivity fall next? Could we see an iPhone on Verizon in 2010 or 2011?

(TUAW has a great write up on that possibility, thanks Brian for the pointer!)

UPDATE: According to Ars, while AT&T is indeed shooting for 2011, the EU might just be delaying until 2012. Snap. Who's the backwater internet slowpokes now?

ORIGINAL: Ah, it seems like only yesterday when little baby GRPS, barely faster than background radiation, burst on the scene. Then came EDGE, both 2G and 2.5G for our original iPhones, and HSPA up and down for our iPhone 3G. But time flies and yesterdays super fast is tomorrow's far-too-slow, so it should come as no surprise that AT&T used the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to announce they'll have their 4G network, known as LTE (Long Term Evolution) zipping along fat 100Mbps in just a couple of years.

Tests should begin in 2010, and deployment in 2011. (Which means customer complaints should follow roughly 30 seconds there after).

So, is AT&T's roadmap fast enough for you early adopters? Will it keep you on the iPhone network longer? And what are you most looking forward to with that ultra-boardband speed? Playing WoW on your iPhone HD? 4-way Mobile iChat? Or finally being able to load that one Facebook friend's page with every dang app conceivable jammed on it?

[Via Electronista]