iPhone: Who's Next? T-Mobile or Verizon

I'm on the camp that T-Mobile is likely to get the iPhone next before Verizon.

Two reasons why. T-Mobile uses GSM like ATT and that really says it all. Plus, T-Mobile is the smallest of the major national networks in the US and they're usually pretty open to "experimentation" if you will. And another point. T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is live now for 80 million users and will expand to 180 by the end of 2010. Going this route is easier than the CDMA route.

The other reason is that Steve Jobs probably doesn't like the way VW spurn Apple in the past and the Droid campaign last year didn't help much. Having said that, Apple will have VW iPhones because as much as Apple like to hold grudges, it knows it is in a major mobile with multiple competitors with one or two with as much innovative energy as it does. Still, moving T-Mobile ahead of VW for a quarter of two just to sting Verizon a bit is fine by me.

So, I'm still betting on T-Mobile because of its parent's international relationship with Apple and it's a pretty good one given the lack of problems. For Verizon, well, first quarter of 2011 is likely the earliest when it might get the iPhone. I also think Apple might wait until there is sufficiently large LTE footprint from VW's 4G network.

Furthermore, ATT has generously given anyone whose contract expires before December 31, 2010 an upgrade now so that does say volumes about what will happen in the iPhone landscape and when iPhones might be coming to another network.

And if I'm wrong about T-Mobile, I apologize.