The iPhone 4 CDMA contains a baseband chip that can work on both GSM and CDMA networks, but Apple intentionally limited it to only work on CDMA networks. Since the discovery of this, it has been rumored that the new iPhone will contain this unlocked chip that will allow the use of the terminal anywhere in the world with any operator. The generic term is "world phone", meaning a phone that works on CDMA or GSM networks without restriction. Rumors regarding the possibility of launching such an iPhone existed, but they are confirmed by the CFO of Verizon who told Reuters that the future iPhone will work on both CDMa and GSM networks anywhere in the world.
While Verizon has sold fewer iPhones than some analysts expected, Shammo said he was happy with sales of the "six-month-old phone" that only works in some countries.
When the next iPhone model launches Verizon will be able to offer it at the same time as AT&T. Verizon's version will also work in as many countries as AT&T's iPhone, which has global coverage, Shammo said.
Some customers held off on buying the first Verizon iPhone because they were waiting for a model that supports Verizon's high-speed wireless service, which runs on a new technology called Long Term Evolution (LTE).
Fran Shammo is the CFO of Verizon who of course knows what products his company is going to launch in the near future, so he is quite credible as a source. Even if the future iPhone will work on any network, it remains to be seen when exactly Apple will decide to launch it considering that it has just launched the white version of the iPhone 4. The bad part of this news? A new baseband chip means more work for the Dev Team who may not be able to decode the new iPhone terminals.
