iPad With Cell Access Built-In Coming In The Future To Verizon

With the iPhone officially landing on Verizon's network, there's already talk about what will happen to the iPad. Or, more accurately, what's to be added to the second generation iPad that's rumored to be announced soon. According to Verizon's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Francis Shammo, who was talking with Bloomberg, an iPad with cellular access built-in is indeed coming to Verizon.

However, details about the tablet device are still up in the air. Shammo was unable to give definite plans, or dates, but he did say that the device will be coming. He could also not clarify whether or not the tablet will access Verizon's 4G LTE network, or if it will be a 3G-enabled device only. Speculation about the release of this new tablet are already picking up speed, but it would seem that the missing tablet with built-in CDMA from today's iPhone 4 announcement would suggest the device won't be coming until the second version of the iPad is announced, some time later this year.

Rumors about a Verizon-specific iPad aren't new, and it would indeed make sense for Apple to have a version of their tablet device that has CDMA, and one that has GSM built-in. A sign of the iPad's future could be that the CDMA iPhone isn't specific to Verizon, and so releasing a CDMA variant of the iPad may mean that even Sprint would be along for the ride. And of course, with the new 3G mobile hotspot feature being part of the latest version of iOS, customers wouldn't need a MiFi to share their 3G connection any longer.

[via Bloomberg]