We’ve been assuming that LTE won’t be in the new iPhone any time soon. It doesn’t make sense just yet. But, after re-listening to the financial call from Wednesday, it became pretty obvious that LTE is still a ways down the road for Apple.
Apple’s known for not tipping their hand to the public during their financial calls, but when it came to LTE it was pretty clear that the technology just isn’t there yet. If Apple’s downplaying it in financial calls, there’s probably an excellent chance that the technology won’t be in the next handset from Apple. iPhone 5 won’t have LTE.
It’s not a stretch to say that. Most believe that LTE won’t be in the iPhone 5.
But, new news from Forbes today points to LTE in 2012 at the earliest. Apparently Apple’s pushing off the technology until the sixth-generation iPhone:
Those chips won’t appear in handsets until next year, says Will Strauss, president of wireless chip tracker Forward Concepts. “They’re right that there?s nothing out there that fits the bill, and likely nothing will until the fourth quarter of this year,” Strauss says when asked about Cook’s remarks (Forbes).
Apple’s not ready for the ‘design’ compromises that LTE requires at this point. Tim Cook said it himself during the financial call. Outside of that, we have to ask ourselves how many carriers have LTE up and running yet. Sure, it’s available in some areas, but some companies are still testing LTE, and it’s not as widespread as Apple would like. It’s certainly not a must yet for most people who aren’t card carrying members of the geek club.
I’d love LTE in an iPhone, all things being equal, but until Apple starts noticing mom and pops asking for faster data on their phones, they have some time. Apple can afford to wait another generation for LTE, and we won’t be surprised when they do.
Article Via MacRumors
