[Kaya]

I wouldn't say it's ridiculous, given that:

- It may not possible to produce an LTE iPhone 5 for either Verizon or AT&T right how (or for any other country), as the LTE chipsets are not ready and LTE deployments are limited. However, it may be possible in six to nine months.

- WiMAX chipsets may be more mature than LTE, and Sprint's LTE deployment may be widespread, making it possible to produce such a phone for Sprint.

- Sprint has promised to buy 7.5 million iPhones a year, which is a whopping 31% of US iPhone sales

- The depth of the Sprint commitment effectively means there is no room for Android on that carrier.

So, if Apple's choices are:

a) Produce non-LTE phone for AT&T and Verizon, only to obsolete it six months later in order to compete with LTE phones running Android.

b) Give Sprint temporary six to nine month "exclusivity" to a phone that they could not produce for anyone else anyway in return for 30% more U.S. sales and killing Android on Sprint

... then it's plausible for them to choose b.

[pieter]

Yes, but WIMAX is pretty much dead, even Sprint's dropping it for LTE. I just don't see Apple producing a new phone with WiMAX and having to test a completely different radio technology when they pretty much know it won't last for more than a few years.

[Raphael]

There are several LTE phones out already, and Verizon is rapidly expanding coverage zones. Although, I suppose battery drain is the unresolved issue.