It is becoming more and more likely that the iPhone 5 will feature a dual-mode GSM and CDMA radio to eliminate the need for two separate models for the different networks. The latest piece of evidence is a report from TechCrunch in which at least one developer found evidence that Apple is testing the iPhone 5 with App Store apps with logs from a device suggesting an iPhone 5 with a dual-mode radio. The log reported a device with two different mobile network codes (MNC) and mobile country codes (MCC) which are used to uniquely identify mobile carriers.
Sure enough, some registrations for the app – which the developer also asked not to be named – were logged from a new Apple device, using the MNC/MCC codes from both Verizon and AT&T.
The Verizon iPhone 4 and iPad 2 actually already contain a Qualcomm chipset that actually supports both the GSM and CDMA standards - Apple chose not to enable that capability (a SIM card slot would have also been required). Rumors of the iPhone 5 throughout this year have however been consistent in suggesting that one model will support both standards - even the Verizon CFO made comments earlier this year that their belief was that the next iPhone will be a “global device”.
[Via TechCrunch]
