After Verizon iPhone, iPad Coming On Verizon Soon?

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After Verizon iPhone, iPad Coming On Verizon Soon?

The time of AT&T’s exclusivity with Apple’s iDevices is coming to an end. Apple finally seems to have listened to all its discontented customers who are tired of dropping calls and blotchy connectivity by AT&T. The first step in this direction was marked by Verizon announcing the CDMA iPhone 4 on their network. And the latest buzz suggests that the iPad is coming on Verizon’s network.

This news comes from Greg Bensinger at Bloomberg Businessweek, who claims that a new version of the iPad will be able to directly connect to Verizon’s network. Francis Shammo, chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc., said that currently users require an external device to connect an iPad to the Verizon wireless network. He said that Verizon is planning to remove the need for an external device and suggested a dedicated Verizon iPad, though did not comment on when this might materialize.

If this is indeed true, then the iPad will be the first of its kind (tablet computers) to be able to connect directly to a CDMA/LTE network, while other counterparts usually rely on WiFi or 3G connectivity for Internet access.

To make this possible, an embedded chip will be added inside the iPad, enabling the direct connectivity to the Verizon wireless network. Right now, Verizon sells the iPad along with a small device that creates an instant WiFi hotspot by using Verizon’s network, but users have complained that carrying another device, albiet small, is an inconvenience, and have demanded an integrated device.

One thing is for sure, if and when this iPad comes out, it will eat into AT&T’s market share by a large amount, as Verizon seems to have a lot of dedicated fans who swear by its flawless connectivity.