Apple N92 CDMA iPhone In 'Engineering Verification Test' Stage, Rumors Suggest
Another day, another iPhone rumor. And considering we're getting closer to January, the prodigal month where iPhones will start showing up on every wireless carrier imaginable, the rumors are only going to pick up. In today's instance, we've got word from John Gruber (writing for his Daring Fireball), who's a bit of a legend when it comes to Apple rumors, that development of the CDMA-based iPhone is actually right on track for a January launch. But, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's coming to Verizon.
As Gruber points out, we usually find traces of a new Apple device thanks to all of the production materials needed to manufacture it. From the bottom rung all the way to the top of the ladder, right before an official announcement, we can usually expect to see some kind of trace, thanks to the parts manufacturers all around hte world. In the case of the 'N92' CDMA variant of the iPhone, the engineering side of the production wheel is beginning to grumble of the "other" iPhone currently tucked nicely in the 'Engineering Verification Test' (EVT) stage.
That may sound familiar. If you'll recall, the iPhone 4 that was found in a bar a few months back was actually in the 'Device Verification Test' (DVT) stage, which is one step above EVT. According to a few "little birdies," Gruber is saying that the CDMA iPhone is one step away from getting to the DVT stage, and then right into production. He further notes that this is exactly where we should expect to see a CDMA-based iPhone, in the production line, if it's meant to launch in January of next year.
As Gruber writes it, "The CDMA iPhone is no longer a cold storage, keep-it-alive-just-in-case-we-need-it project."
However, that doesn't necessarily mean that the device is heading to Verizon. Sure, without a doubt Verizon has been the loudest name tossed into the CDMA rumors, but there's also Sprint, here in the States. But if you look around the globe, there's a South American market, and then there's the whole Asian market, too. All of this talk about a CDMA iPhone could very well be in relation to a future launch on China Telecom. As always, only time will tell, and a few more leaks (with pictures!), but until then we'll just have to sit tight and wait to see what we see, or hear what we hear.
[via Daring Fireball]