Yeah yeah, I know, here we go again. But something smells fishy this time. Invitations are popping up all over the place with journalists who exclusively cover Apple, to a Verizon event on Tuesday, January 11th. Verizon and Apple have been getting cozier lately with the Verizon selling iPads in their store. The very likely possibility is that they will be announcing a carrier specific iPad which would fall outside the original deal with AT&T and so would likely be allowable. Rumors are of course swirling of a Verizon iPhone release on February 3rd. Even with Apple’s legendary secrecy, a CDMA iPhone prepared so soon without a peep is odd.
Both MG Siegler of TechCrunch and Jim Dalrymple of The Loop confirm they’ve received invites.
Of course one can only hope. I have no bones in the race, just tired of the endless speculation about it. All the people predicting it were bound to be right eventually, right? We’ll keep our ears open.
[UPDATE] Rumor is spreading pretty fast and wild throughout the internet now and I still feel the speculation is silly. My analysis of the situation was meant to be both brief and sarcastic. 1. I’m not holding my breath for a Verizon iPhone. 2. It could be anything, really. 3. If it is a Verizon iPhone, that’s scary. Those things will sell like hot cakes and nothing can stop them… for a while. 4. Sit back and relax. The iPhone will be coming to Verizon eventually. If not February 3rd then someday. The question is, will you still care?
[UPDATE] Despite my doubts, it’s now being taken as fact and there are compelling reasons being offered by The Wall Street Journal. This looks like it could be in the bag. But what will it mean for all the players involved (and the carriers left behind)? I’m just going to sit on my hands till Tuesday and see what’s in store.