“Verizon will get an embedded chip in the iPad for use on its network, Francis Shammo, chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc., the parent of the wireless unit, said today in an interview in New York,” Bensinger reports. “Shammo declined to say when the change may happen.”
Bensinger reports, “Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile-phone carrier, began selling the iPad in its stores in a package with its credit card-sized Wi-Fi device in October for $629.99 to $829.99. Apple, which introduced the iPad in April, offers versions of the tablet that connect directly to AT&T’s network.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Not a good day for those who pimp fake iOS devices.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” and “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Was he supposed to say this?
Apple doesn’t like it when people comment on unannounced products. I’m predicting a phone call from Steve.
Way to go moron, you just Osborned the iPad.
Why would you need this? If Verizon iPhone can create a wifi hotspot, just share that with your wifi iPad!
It’s so stupid to offer this. Rim has it right on this. Their playbook when it coes out will connect directly to any rim phone no need for different 3G versions.
Apple should do the same. It allows them to make 1 iPad version compatible with anyone.
But then I guess that until AT&T allows mobile hotspot on iPhone that wouldn’t work. Still the mifi is a better idea over a 3G iPad. With a mifi you can have 5 devices at once for the same price
He is obviously feeling a little cocky right now.
I am sure he will be getting a call from Steve very soon.
Perhaps the iPad 2 will have one of those newfangled dual chip GSM/CDMA thingies inside it.
Kind of an iPad that swings both ways, I guess.
@zmarc,
I want my iPhone to stay with AT&T. I want data and voice at the same time and I really appreciated being able to use my iPhone anywhere I traveled (I was all over Europe for 2 months last year).
I’ll go with Verizon for the iPad 2 so that I can use it in places where my iPhone doesn’t work.
Be confident and you will find entirely all you need, whatever it is – a good theme, weight loss pills or a pleasant soul mate
Out of thirteen (13) articles today on MDN, eleven (11) are about Verizon (and iPhone). Is it possible that there are NO Mac-related news today at all to report about?
I have a feeling the next iPad will be able to use either type of network for 3G connectivity.
Every customer with an iPad does not have a mobile phone that is capable of creating a WiFi “hotspot.” And even if they did, Apple just wants you to turn it on and it works, NOT turn it on and turn on and set up another device (and hope its small battery does not run out) and it works. And if you are OK with doing that extra work every time you use your iPad over 3G, then get a WiFi-only iPad and save some money. Everyone’s happy…
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MDN – please censor this “loco” spammer.
@ken1w
See your point. But maybe all iPads should just be 3G. The chip costs very little. But might confuse people I suppose.
@ ilovemymac
Maybe for iPad 2.0, they will ALL have 3G. Who knows… it would be consistent for Apple to reduce the customer’s choices as a way to improve satisfaction and sales (due to less buyer confusion and post-sale remorse). But there are a few other parts to consider, such as the 3G antenna (and the need to make part of the case transparent to the 3G signal). And the GPS; the WiFi-only iPad does not have GPS.
Apple is selling the $499 iPad at lower profit (than usual for Apple), to get the low-end model under $500. It’s not an iPhone, with a huge subsidy payment from the carrier. And the next model supposedly includes one or two cameras, plus 512mb of system memory and gyroscope (to match iPhone 4). Maybe the processor will be faster and the whole thing will be thinner/lighter. With such expected improvements (and other likely surprises), I think Apple will still be looking for ways to reduce production cost for the $499 model as much as possible, at least for this year.
Amazingly, the current iPad is still a 1.0 product. It seems like it’s been around for a few years already…