AT&T promo seen as end of exclusivity

Following Apple's iPhone 4 debut, Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Jeffrey Fidacaro published a report regarding a CDMA iPhone presumably headed for Verizon. The analyst suggests suppliers are already preparing to create the upcoming device, although the timing is still unclear.

"As our SFG Semiconductor analyst Chris Caso wrote in his recent Taiwan Trip Notes – Day 2 note, the supply chain was on notice for production of a CDMA version of the iPhone to begin as early as [the third quarter of 2010]," Fidacaro wrote. "While we do not subscribe to this time frame and anticipate a CDMA iPhone more likely [first quarter of 2011], our checks around the WWDC event suggest optimism that a CDMA iPhone could be coming by the end of 2010."

Many analysts, including Fidacaro, view AT&T's early upgrade promotion as a sign that the exclusivity agreement is due to expire. The move is viewed as a last-ditch effort to lock in as many iPhone customers as possible, which could help minimize subscriber loss to rival Verizon if a CDMA iPhone is introduced toward the end of the year or early in 2011. [via Wall Street Journal]

by MacNN Staff