Is the iPhone 4 headed to T-Mobile? This celebrity spokeswoman won't say. (Photo Credit: Nhy Nguyen/Flickr/CC BY-SA)
Apple may not be recalling the iPhone 4, but it certainly isn’t because the company is strapped for cash. Its profit in fiscal third quarter 2010, per PC Magazine, was massive thanks to the iPad. Apple made $3.25 billion net profit on revenue of $15.7 billion. Yet that may not even be the most explosive news coming out of the land of Steve Jobs. If the Cult of Mac’s “highly placed source” is accurate, T-Mobile may begin selling the iPhone 4 by third quarter 2010. PC World writes that talks are far along between Apple and the carrier, and that there’s an “80 percent chance” this will happen in two months.
iPhone 4 would make T-Mobile a heavyweight
Currently the fourth-largest carrier in the U.S., T-Mobile would certainly vault over AT&T, Verizon and Sprint if the iPhone 4 deal happens. According to PC World, there could be a major stumbling block regarding T-Mobile’s 3G frequencies. As the carrier uses a non-standard band (1700/2100 MHz) and it is unknown whether the iPhone 4 will work at the lower end of T-Mobile’s frequency range, there could be major reception issues.
Another day, another iPhone 4 rumor
PC World reminds us that Cult of Mac’s predictions don’t always stick, so don’t get too excited yet. Considering the network cap problems Apple has encountered with AT&T (and the relative animosity Verizon has shown toward Steve Jobs and crew), it could be that T-Mobile has the bandwidth to spare for iPhone users and an as-yet clean and clear relationship with Apple. Another plus on T-Mobile’s side is that Apple already works with its parent company (Deustche Telekom) in Europe.
Smartphone owners: would you make the jump to T-Mobile?
If T-Mobile does indeed enter a partnership with Apple, the pool won’t stay sparsely populated for long. Antenna issues aside, iPhone 4 remains wildly popular. It is the most serious competition for Droid and other top smartphones. Let us know what you think by sounding off below.
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iPhone happenings, straight from the Techno Buffalo’s mouth
I think it's a great idea! I've been with T-Mobile for a while now and love it. I'm not too crazy about the iPhone; I'm perfectly fine with my smartphone. But I think it's a great idea that the two may be joining forces. It will be a plus deal on both ends, that's for sure. However, I don't think their 3Gs are compatible, as both T-Mobile and AT&T run on totally different UTMS frequencies. Apple may need to build new iPhones from scratch with different hardware in order to access T-Mobile's 3G. Oh well, I'm sure they'll work it out somehow.