Legal Commentary

Because I've been immersed up to my eyeballs in deadlines for the soon-to-be-unveiled revamped and redesigned Law Technology News magazine, I haven't had a moment to post. But I was very happy to FINALLY hear that Verizon will soon sell iPhones. I've been coveting iPhones for years (my entire family, including my 83-year-old mom has one) but ALM is a Verizon customer ? and I don't want a fifth phone number, so I have resisted. However, once I got my iPad late last year, my tech lust kicked into high gear! 

So I turn the mic over to my colleague, LTN's news editor Brendan McKenna, who's got the exciting news:

Verizon announced Tuesday that it will begin selling the iPhone 4 on Feb. 3 for current customers and on Feb. 10 for new Verizon subscribers. The price for the device appears to match that of rival AT&T ? $199 for a 16 GB iPhone, $299 for the 32 GB version.

There are differences between iPhones sold at the two companies. For one, at Verizon, the phone will run on the CDMA network vs. AT&T's GSM network. The CDMA network doesn't allow access to the data plan during calls. The significance of that missing capability may be lost on some folks; the most common gripes with AT&T seem to be about call quality and browsing speed. It's also curious that the phone is not LTE ? which stands for Long Term Evolution, as in the effort to develop a 4G network standard ? considering the December announcement that LTE phones were coming to Verizon in 2011.

Another potentially significant difference, according to commentators during the Verizon launch announcement, is the antenna design. Jason Chen of Gizmodo.com wondered if the infamous iPhone antenna problem would be resolved in the Verizon version, and asked, "Verizon employees, or anyone with the phone this week, please try the death grip ASAP and let us know." We will have to wait and see.

Interestingly, the Verizon version of iPhone can serve as a portable wi-fi hotspot, as well, and can link up to five devices. This means it also comes with built-in Verizon apps, a state of affairs some users may find unfortunate.

Data plans and other details have not yet been announced, but one thing is certain ? the bitter battle for cell phone supremacy continues between AT&T and Verizon, and time will tell who the victor is for Apple's affections -- and customers. And what will happen to phones operating on Google's Android operating system: Will they be overshadowed by the Verizon iPhone or will they continue to thrive?

More iPhone Verizon coverage:

Will the iPhone Crush Verizon's Network? - Gizmodo.com

Verizon Will Offer the iPhone Next Month - The New York Times

Will Verizon's iPhone end up ruling the market at the expense of Google's Android operating system? The idea that Android acquired some market share only because Apple limited the sale of iPhone to AT&T is an interesting, but evidence seems to suggest that Android will continue its upward trajectory. For example, Google and Android were everywhere at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

One paragraph, from ars technica story, really caught my eye:

Android's maturity as a smartphone operating system and relatively ubiquitous availability on comparable hardware from a wide range of manufacturers is starting to make it difficult to produce truly distinctive Android handsets. Hardware makers will have to start looking for new angles and new areas where they can innovate around the platform in order to continue differentiating their Android-based phones.

What the article seems to suggest is that Android itself is fueling competition among the dozens of manufacturers of phones that run that operating system. It's not just about the phones anymore, but rather, how the handsets can be manipulated to maximize Android. It has become an industry in its own right ? no doubt this will continue to fuel app growth, and the more competition means that Apple could one day be left behind on the cutting-edge technology front.