Here’s where the Verizon iPhone falls short

By on Jan 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM
mobile January 11, 2011

Allow us to bring you up to speed in case you missed it — Verizon Wireless just announced that it will finally begin carrying the iPhone 4 starting on February 10th. It’s kind of a big deal. There are definitely plenty of positives tied to the Verizon iPhone, of course. For starters, choice is always a good thing and the fact that AT&T finally lost iPhone exclusivity will benefit consumers in a big way. And there are plenty more benefits as well — for example, there’s a redesigned antenna that might reduce the effects of the death grip, and a mobile hotspot option that AT&T iPhone users have been wishing for since Android first popularized the feature. But it’s not all double rainbows and jazz hands, we’re afraid. There are definitely some areas where Verizon’s upcoming iPhone 4 is sorely lacking, and we’ve listed a few of the main missteps after the break.

Slooooooooow
This was covered in our feature yesterday entitled Why I’m not switching to the Verizon iPhone: Need for speed. Verizon’s 3G network, while sturdier than the Great Wall of China, is slower than your great grandmother driving a Cadillac on the highway. Ok, it’s really not that slow and it’s more than quick enough to handle basic functions like Web browsing, email and use of basic apps. But this is 2011 and data speeds should be increasing, not decreasing. If heavier usage is your cup of tea — streaming media, data-gulping apps and so on — Verizon’s 3G service crawls.

Those who jump ship from AT&T could be in for a rude awakening in this department. Then again, they also might finally be able to make phone calls.

No simultaneous voice and data
There was an off chance that Verizon Wireless would finally announce a solution for simultaneous voice and data over its CDMA network, but it didn’t happen. We’ll just have to wait for the LTE-enabled version of the iPhone to drop in 2012. In the meantime, if you want to talk and receive emails on your iPhone 4 at the same time, you’ll need AT&T. After all, where would we be without young professionals traipsing through our city streets with their faces buried in smartphones while they bark at their Bluetooth headsets?

Roam or get off the pot
Roamers may have a tough time finding ways to travel internationally with their Verizon iPhones. Well, they can travel anywhere they want with their iPhones as long as they don’t need to talk or use cellular data. Verizon’s iPhone 4 will only operate on CDMA networks and the rest of the world, for the most part, uses GSM. There are some countries where Verizon iPhone users will be able to roam on CDMA, but service won’t be great in many cases — and prepare to sell some organs a month later when your bill arrives.

To be fair, however, AT&T iPhone users may have to cough up the deeds to their houses as well if they roam internationally. It’s not cheap. Less expensive options used to be just a jailbreak, an unlock and a prepaid local SIM away, but the iPhone 4 complicates matters thanks to its Micro-SIM. Average users definitely won’t be hacking up foreign a SIM card to perform a Micro-SIM-ectomy, so international roamers are basically screwed in either camp.

No 4G
Verizon’s entire presence at CES last week was focused on one thing and one thing alone: 4G. Its LTE network is now live in 38 markets and a flurry of 4G phones will launch in the coming months. But the iPhone… the smartphone millions of Verizon Wireless subscribers have been dying for… is a 3G device.

We knew Verizon’s iPhone 4 would be a CDMA phone for a number of reasons, but 3G is so 2010. Sprint launched its first 4G phone with minimal WiMAX coverage and it ended up being the fastest-selling phone in the carrier’s history. Now, we won’t see a 4G iPhone from Verizon until 2012. That means while millions of Android phones are surfing Verizon’s 4G airwaves later this year, iPhones will still be puttering along at EVDO speeds.

UPDATE: Post updated to remove a reference to FaceTime over 3G, which will not be available on Verizon’s iPhone 4.

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  • Guest

    Considering that AT&T’s 3G service is sorely lacking except in the most-urban areas where the population is close to 100k or above, or where a larger university is present, the alleged “slowness” of Verizon’s 3G service is a vast improvement over AT&T’s EDGE.

    If this prompts AT&T to add 3G coverage to match Verizon’s, I’ll stick with AT&T. Otherwise, I’m switching when my contract expires.

  • Tired of the whining

    i think if verizon gave a million dollars with the iphone… these people would be like…. these bills are all wrinkly! get over it. there is always gonna be ups and downs to everything as there is in life.

  • gnarkill

    people dont care if it sucks. its an iphone, and they wont hesitate to purchase it. they also wont hesitate to bitch about it, but will always refuse to give it up. after all, it is a gift from the apple gods, why question it?

  • Patrickpdk

    Your assessment of Verizon’s speed is false. I happily perform those actions on Verizon’s network daily.

  • Anthony

    Verizon is the best network and everyone knows it. The 3G is very fast and anyone who says otherwise obviously doesn’t have it. Sorry AT&T fanboys.

  • Wayless4wireless

    Amazing! All I’ve seen for the past few years is at&t bashing and as soon as someone reports that the Verizon iPhone may have some setbacks and everyone here goes insane. How dare you think that Verizon is less than the second coming of Christ! At&t has weak coverage and Verizon has slower data speeds. Both have good and bad issues. Deep breath guys. I’m sure the Verizon iPhone will be fantastic and the competition will be great from a customer standpoint. I personally prefer the gsm version but if you prefer Verizon the by all means rush out and buy one. I’m just curious how the flood of iPhones will impact the network. Time will tell..

  • SmartBBUser

    Let’s all just cross our fingers and hope that the iPhone 5 is released on both networks in July.

  • Theshadow62

    i’ve had AT&T for 13 years, through 4 name changes. i have never had any issues with service or dropped calls or a slow network. i now run a BB bold 9000 and it works great. so i will never switch to another carrier.
    i say good riddance to to AT&T customers jumping ship for verison, it will only help our network!!

  • Mac

    BGR sucks! What a lame article. There are a lot of Verizon users who are happy with 3g speeds and a lot of ATT ones that are happy with the call quality. All these sites are burning perceptions like it is end of life.

  • sartttt

    BGR seems to be a propaganda network of RIM really. For them, computer rendering of obsolete and none-existent blackberries are news.

  • http://twitter.com/Evoneday Akshay Varma

    Try NY + ATT = Failure!!

  • MiniMia

    I’m with Verizon but won’t be getting the iPhone because I don’t really care about it. My BB is fine for now but am considering Droid at my next upgrade.

  • Rolmsteed

    i wasnt switching to verizon anyway or att.dont need an iphone.

  • Anonymous

    On your 4 points. News flash: they are all slow, voice + data is a 1% use-case, right – so if you go to the EU then don’t get it, 4G at the cost of slogging an Android around? No thanks. Android sucks. ATT sucks. Period. I’ve been on both. I will get iPhone on Verizon and will gladly pay full retail.

  • Tylera2121

    People need to realize that its not AT&T that sucks its their precious Iphone. Iphone has a very weak atenna as smartphones go. Verizon is not prepared to handle the colt that fellows the iphone. Verizon doesnt have the broadband width to support the jump from 68% smartphone users to 80% witch the iphone is predicted to bring. Im calling it now iphone is going to be very slow and the same problems are going to fellow the iphone from AT&T to verizon. Then everyone will see that the iphone is not that good as a phone but great as a staus symbol right?

  • http://twitter.com/homestar726 Shawn

    Ok… let’s sum it up. You can slice it, dissect it, analyze it, or whatever. It comes down to a very simple concept.

    - Millions of Verizon Customers want it.
    - Cant surf and call at the same time? Still a better option than “Sorry Verizon doesn’t offer the iPhone”.
    - Internet speeds are 1X EV-DO and not 3G? Still a better option than “Sorry Verizon doesn’t offer the iPhone”.

    Get it?! Criticize it if you will, but I’m sure it will launch and be successful. It will certainly hurt Android, as it was the only comparable on Verizon for the longest time. Now that you can get an iPhone, we’ll see what 2011 has in store for Apple vs Android. Just remember, some people, no matter how bad they want the iPhone will not switch to AT&T.

  • Devon0613

    you people complain alot over the smallest things the iphone on att isnt bad at all i live in one of the worst spots for att in az where verizon owns the state and i hardley ever have a problem connecting or have a problem with the web and im always all over az go ahead and jump ship that means more room for me to have faster internet…and i really feel a lot of people dont even know about how good att service is…and i have had alot of friends not get good service with verizon so idk why people making it a big deal

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RYTZF4GRJPO7272JY5ZNBK47SQ TuckerHash

    slow 3G > EDGE
    this is why I’m switching

    • Dad

      I’m not sure why you folks are even talking abut the iPhone any longer. I used one for years, but Sprit is the new leader with their new 4G line-up. Can you say EVO? I read all the reviews and took the plunge for the EVO. All I can say is INCREDIBLE!. Now they have two additional phones in their 4G line-up.
      Sprint has been slowly making a comeback for several years, but now they have hit a home run!

  • Heavy Skype User

    Do we know yet if Verizon will still only allow Skype to work over 3G? Sad that I have an iPod Touch and can make Skype calls using Wi-Fi. I really hope Verizon doesn’t limit the iPhone capabilities or have forced apps like on its other phones.

  • pinguino1

    People love AT&T or Verizon, people hate AT&T or Verizon. Doesn’t matter they both are exagerating
    BUT the 2 big questions iPhone users is:
    1-With Verizon YOU CAN NOT TALK & SURF at the same time.. iPhone user are willing to lose that?
    2-Verizon phones including the iPhone DON’T WORK AT ALL OUTSIDE USA with a few exceptions. Do iPhone users care?
    Perhaps I’m wrong because I notice with Apple users that when something is missing they always say “it’s not important” .

  • Bthomas11

    Verizon is definetly faster than AT&T and do you even know what 4G is? No carrier right now has True 4G. LTE is the only true form of 4G out there. If Sprint has 4G then why are they saying they are going to upgrade to LTE in the near future?

  • Anonymous

    uh, side by side,, 3gs vs INC on 3g networks shows that AT&T is horribly and obviously a lot slower.. from what ive seen and exp, ATTs 3g is just pathetic.. who wrote this rubbish.. ?

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