Edible Apple

You know, reports of the iPhone coming to Verizon are starting to sound a lot like a broken record, but when the Wall Street Journal gets into the mix, you’d best pay attention.

In a report published Monday night, the WSJ writes that Apple is planning to release a CDMA version of the iPhone later this year. Now before you roll your eyes and think, “this ole’ song and dance again?”, remember that Apple often uses the WSJ to plant controlled leaks, so you might wanna actually pay attention to this.

While it’s not entirely clear when Apple’s exclusive iPhone relationship with AT&T is set to expire, it’s largely believed that late June 2010 will spell the end of AT&T’s iPhone monopoly, a situation which sets the stage for Apple to release the iPhone onto Verizon’s 91 million strong network of subscribers.

While Apple is expected to introduce a new GSM iPhone model this summer, production of a CDMA capable iPhone won’t begin until September, according to an individual reportedly familiar with Apple’s plans.

The people briefed on the matter said the upgraded GSM iPhone is being made by Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., which produced Apple’s previous iPhones. The CDMA iPhone model is being made by Pegatron Technology Corp., the contract manufacturing subsidiary of Taiwan’s ASUSTeK Computer Inc., said these people.

The iPhone has exhibited astronomical growth over the past two and a half years, but there’s only so much room for the device to grow here in the US while tethered exclusively to AT&T. Indeed, Apple saw a significant upshot in international iPhone sales once it switched to a multi-carrier sales model in a number of countries and that scenario is bound to repeat itself here in the US. Moreover, given that Verizon’s network is not only huge, but is also considered the most reliable US carrier, the potential for explosive iPhone growth here in the US cannot be overstated.