Verizon May Get iPhone in 2010

Apple is in talks about developing an iPhone for Verizon’s wireless network—with possible deployment next year, USA Today reports. Currently, the iPhone is only available on AT&T’s GSM network, which is incompatible with Verizon’s CDMA operation. AT&T has exclusive US rights to the iPhone into 2010, and analysts expect AT&T to try to retain them for at least another year.

“Breaking the (iPhone) exclusivity with AT&T is a huge thing," one analyst said. AT&T signed up 1.6 million iPhone customers in the most recent quarter, 40% of them new to AT&T, and its mobile data revenue was up nearly 40%. But the opportunity for Apple to tap into Verizon’s 80 million users is huge; very few are thought to also own an iPhone. (More Apple stories.)