This isn’t based on anything more than a loose tip and some speculation on my part, but it would make sense, especially in the eyes of Apple and its quest to ship fewer SKUs. It has been widely rumored that the next iPhone will support CDMA and GSM frequencies, thus eliminating the need for Apple to ship different models to CDMA and GSM carriers. We exclusively reported that Apple is testing an iPhone for T-Mobile USA, but what if this was taken one step further? What if the iPhone 5 not only supported both CDMA and GSM networks, but also supported all five 3G bands in use today? This would open up T-Mobile USA’s 33 million subscribers to Apple’s iconic handset, while also some smaller carriers like WIND in Canada and others. Additionally, if AT&T’s T-Mobile USA acquisition is approved, great — T-Mobile USA’s “4G” network would be immediately available to help lighten the load on AT&T’s current network. If the merger isn’t approved, then Apple has immediate access to another large carrier with its iPhone 5 instead of having to work on another model separately. One phone to rule them all, right?
