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4G LTE-enabled iPhone expected for 2012?

By: , IntoMobile
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 at 11:19 AM
Was the Apple iPhone 4 Antennagate the biggest flop of the year?

An LTE iPhone has been on customers’ wish lists for the past year due to the influx of Android devices that have added 4G support. Now, Apple may finally be preparing to release an LTE offering for 2012. DigiTimes reports that as the competition gets more fierce, “Nokia, Apple, RIM and Sony Ericsson are expected to join the LTE club in 2012 as more telecom service providers around the globe are also going to launch LTE services in the coming year, said [their] sources.”

Sprint alone has 15 4G LTE devices slated for release next year. The carrier was one of the first to introduce its 4G network, however it was using standard WiMAX. As the world moves toward LTE, Sprint is hopping on board as well, and now that the iPhone 4S is on Sprint, it gives Apple additional reason to give us all a speed boost. AT&T and Verizon aren’t slouches for rolling out 4G either.

I see two main reasons why Apple has been hesitant to add 4G LTE to the iPhone; the first is because 4G networks eat battery power for breakfast. Battery life has always been a strong suit of the iPhone, especially now while competitors are still struggling to match it. Sacrificing this crucial advantage of the iPhone for 4G speeds still is not something Apple is willing to do. The second reason is because 4G has yet to be widely adopted. If you live outside of a metropolitan area, the chances are high that you do not have access to 4G speeds.

With the shift toward LTE rapidly growing, it looks like 2012 will mark Apple’s turn to catch up.

[via DigiTimes]

About The Author

George Tinari

George has followed technology news for quite some time, but he only started writing about it a few years ago. He's a self-proclaimed Apple fanboy, but that doesn't stop him from covering a wide range of topics in the mobile area. When he's not reporting for IntoMobile, you can usually find George listening to a wide array of music, trying to be funny and sarcastic, eating, or voicing his opinions about all things tech on his personal blog, GT Daily.

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  • Trdracer21

    REALLY COME ON GUYS WHO CARES!!! ENOUGH ABOUT IPHONE

  • kim@usb microscope camera

    Fascinating that this was invented and used by most of the people now but recently it was upgraded more into more high end and faster.

  • Steve

    I care a lot!

  • Trdracer21

    YEA BUT EVERYDAY WE ALL KNOW THIS IS GOING TO HAVE LTE

  • guest

    does the 4s have the technology for 4G making it a software issue? or will they have to upgrade hardware?