Verizon iPhone 4 vs AT&T iPhone 4: spot the difference

posted by Ray S. / Jan 11, 2011, 11:59 AM

Verizon iPhone 4 vs AT&T iPhone 4: spot the difference

Now that the Verizon iPhone 4 is a reality, what about a quick comparison with it and the AT&T iPhone 4 that we know so well? Obviously, there aren't that many differences between the two handsets - neither in terms of design, nor in terms of specs - but nevertheless, we'd like to point them out. Right here, right now.

You are already well aware of the only design difference. It's the slightly changed antenna, and contrary to what you might think, the change was not dictated by fear of going through the Antennagate issue once more, but simply because the CDMA network required it.

Now let's see what's in the way of under the hood alterations. Obviously, the CDMA radio has replaced the GSM one so as to make the iPhone 4 useable on Verizon's 3G network. Unfortunately, what might come as a bit of a disappointment is the lack of LTE. Verizon and Apple officials commented during the unveiling that an LTE chipset would have required the manufacturer to do some more significant alterations to the design, which was seen as too much of a hassle. But Verizon customers wanted the iPhone 4 now, so that's why the team decided that it should out the handset as soon as possible, even with the lack of this much-appreciated feature. At least, that's what they say. Anyway, it will surely be interesting this summer when Steve Jobs walks out on stage to announce the next iteration of the device. HSPA+ support for AT&T and LTE for Verizon anyone? They sure do have enough time until then.

By the way, there is one major inconvenience that results from the CDMA radio inside. You won't be able to use the Verizon iPhone 4 with GSM networks around the world, which means you'll be more or less limited to using it Stateside, on Verizon. Thankfully, there are VoIP solutions that might just do the job for you after all.

Last, but not least, what might be seen as a pretty nice treat is the newly-added ability of the phone to act as a Mobile Hotspot for up to 5 devices, which will certainly be well-adopted by some users our there.

And that's it! Pricing is basically the same (except for the data plans, but Verizon has not yet released information about this), with the 16GB iPhone 4 costing $199 on both carriers with a two-year contract, and the 32GB one coming in at $299 with contract. The Verizon iPhone 4 will be available for pre-order for current Verizon customers starting February 3, while launch day is scheduled for February 10.

You can check the handset at Verizon's now.

Apple iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon Wireless on February 10

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Display 3.5" 640 x 960 pixels

Camera 5 MP / 0.3 MP VGA front

Processor Apple A4, Single core, 1000 MHz

Storage 32 GB

Battery 1420 mAh

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Display 3.5" 640 x 960 pixels

Camera 5 MP / 0.3 MP VGA front

Processor Apple A4, Single core, 1000 MHz

Storage 32 GB

Battery 1420 mAh(7.00h 3G talk time)

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41 Comments

1. networkdood

Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010

+1 for MOBILE HOTSPOT - just like my ANDROID phone....

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:26 PM 7

2. oneandonly478

Posts: 10; Member since: Jan 06, 2011

wonder will verzion and att iphoners be able to facetime each other, verzion and rhapsody may lose a little ,with apple using itunes.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:27 PM 0

20. cellgeek82

Posts: 518; Member since: Dec 20, 2009

Facetime will be universal. Just like iPhone and iPod users. Facetime is currently a Wi-Fi dependant feature so Facetime will still work. Also using video calls via Skype should be universal since it's not tied to a network. In short, Facetime and Skype video calls aren't tied directly to a network as a carrier feature, so all users will be able to use it no matter what network they're on.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:36 PM 0

3. networkdood

Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010

If it makes sense, it may never happen

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:34 PM 0

4. achilles

Posts: 54; Member since: May 27, 2010

On Verizon, there is no voice and data at the same time if this a 3g only device.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:35 PM 3

5. spinelessrabbit

Posts: 35; Member since: Dec 28, 2010

it true the iphone is stil far superior on att network, verizon cant talk and surf the web at the same time the 3g speed is slower and it cant be used in europe like the att iphone, att rules!

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:46 PM 5

6. kaskld unregistered

your truly are a spineless rabbit

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 12:59 PM 1

9. somepeoplearestupid unregistered

yeah and how do you like that 2 g cap on data with at&t. verizon is unlimited for the same price. at&t can blow me

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:38 PM 2

24. spinelessrabbit

Posts: 35; Member since: Dec 28, 2010

and with 9 million iphones users on the unlmtd it will bogg down the network causing more services issues

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 3:00 PM 0

31. Allday28

Posts: 326; Member since: Nov 19, 2010

Actually Verizon has been tweaking there network since 2008 just for the iphone. So I dont think there will be a problem..

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 8:00 PM 0

36. jay mal unregistered

Verizon already has millions of android device on the unlimited plan and the android device have flash which produce more data than an iphone that isnt capable of flash verizon hasnt had a problem with the androids device that everybody wants people are starting to forget about the iphone droid runs circles around the android, and who cares about browsing and talking on the internet at the same time honestly when im on the landline phone on speakerphone and using my desktop pc and am looking up something on the internet i'll say "i'll call you back im looking up something" that like saying with at&t you can run while you're walking at the same time lol. for what? android has flash player, removable expandable memory, fast as heck, removable replacable battery, so many free apps and still counting, no death grip issue, and dozens of varieties to choose from in devices and manufacturers, and the charging port can be used with ALL other current chargeing ports micro usb. good luck with trying to use the same charger on the road with someone that doesnt have a iphone. and have you tried the new sywpe input method on the droids and windows devices that is amazing and so quick to type with, thumbs down Apple, Android got you on this phone battle and war cause droids are getting better and better fast not slowly

posted on Jan 12, 2011, 8:45 AM 1

10. Sureal

Posts: 38; Member since: Jan 31, 2010

from all the complaints i hear about at&t dropping calls, the at&t iphone cant do web and talk at the same time either

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:43 PM 3

22. cellgeek82

Posts: 518; Member since: Dec 20, 2009

I don't know why you're getting hate because what you said is true. AT&T iPhone users will have a better experience. Other than unlimited data and mobile hotspot the Verizon version doesn't promise more. In fact it cuts out some things like fasters data speeds and simultanious voice/data. I read on a Facebook comment from AT&T that they're looking into mobile hotspot as well. Only time will tell.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:39 PM 2

28. mustang unregistered

one if you need to surf the web while talking your conversation must be pretty boring. Also at least you will have coverage with vzw unlike with at&t

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 4:07 PM 1

34. BobbyTaba

Posts: 316; Member since: Aug 11, 2010

Ur a retard just because you hear verizon is slower doesnt mean it is. I have tested my moms iphone4 vs my droid incredible. I have checked it in LAS Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento San francisco. Each time the droid incredible wins even if I test it multiple times

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 8:08 PM 0

39. stilt

Posts: 63; Member since: Jul 13, 2008

just look at the video on phonearena they do a speed test between the two phone the att iphone and the verizon iphone guess who wins??? :) and guess who page still didnt load completely until after about 10 seconds :( at&t sorry AT&T down the drain you go, i fill sorry for the sale reps they better apply for vzw jobs, cause once everyone starts raving and spreading the word about the service and how reliable the call connects are and data speed and coverage is, and really respectable customer service they will start flocking, thats really why steve jobs came to VZW FIRST to pitch the iphone, we stiffarmed steve jobs and guess who came running back to us again??? hi steve

posted on Jan 13, 2011, 11:11 AM 0

7. loljkjk unregistered

who the heck cares if u cant talk and surf at the same time how often do you really do that anyways big deal get over it u just want to find something to complain about.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:29 PM 1

23. cellgeek82

Posts: 518; Member since: Dec 20, 2009

Most people doesn't care about that. I'm glad I can use that on AT&T but it isn't a deal breaker. But since video calling is becoming more popular it may be a luxury in the near future. If AT&T were to allow Apple to open Facetime on 3G then Verizon folks may hold their head low on that part. Still I partly agree with you I have to say for those very few times, it is a cool capablitity.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:43 PM 1

42. Joe T unregistered

You can face time over 3G with a app called Tango!

posted on Jan 23, 2011, 12:16 AM 0

8. RonCouturier unregistered

at&t has GSM. We can surf the web and make calls at the same time. Look up directions and talk on the phone...NOT on verizon...hell their 3g is so slow who knows what you can do with verizon.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:32 PM 2

13. XxVerbalxX unregistered

You are only sometimes faster in the real world, in 20% of the places that Verizon also has signal. 80% of the places where there is both at&t and Verizon Verizon is ALWAYS faster than at&t. once again, we are faster in 80% more places than an at&t phone user. When you take into account the network congestion (because at&t does not invest in curtailing that if you didnt notice) at&t is prob only faster in 10% of the places Verizon is. You data network is underdeveloped and sucks, plain and simple. If at&t actually got 3g (or 3.5g or 4g or whatever else they call hspa+ now) wherever they got cell phone service then MAYBE you could lay claim to being faster. Your not. 80%>20%. screw the iphone anyway. you can have the POS

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:57 PM 1

15. dpullen81

Posts: 13; Member since: Dec 31, 2010

and how do you do that when you have absolutly no signal and no 3g coverage area

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:03 PM 1

12. obamabinladin

Posts: 13; Member since: Nov 23, 2010

all the unlimited data for verizon is not a big deal because at&t announced on jan 18th unlimited data will return so for the same price i'd rather surf the web and talk at the same time isn't that whats the iPhone was really ment for? so no excuses cdma fans

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:51 PM 1

14. XxVerbalxX unregistered

must b because it seems to constantly fail at being an actual phone

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 1:58 PM 0

35. clevername

Posts: 1436; Member since: Jul 11, 2008

I'd love to see where you got your info about att bringing back unlmtd data

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 9:26 PM 1

16. networkdood

Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010

Lots of animosity over a phone that STEVE JOBS profits greatly from, not any of you. TALK and WEB surf is important to some - I use it once in a while, works for me, I like it - probably not a deal breaker with VERIZON customers, though.....but, I am glad I have a 3.5G phone.....GSM....

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:13 PM 0

17. networkdood

Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010

CDMA vs GSM is no contest if you travel the world internationally....

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:15 PM 4

33. Allday28

Posts: 326; Member since: Nov 19, 2010

im pretty sure that goes to 0.001% of the customers. come up with something else to bitch about!

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 8:07 PM 0

18. Itzatlas

Posts: 37; Member since: Jan 05, 2011

So now when we see people from at@t showing off their iphones, we can say " Ours is faster".

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:31 PM 2

19. Marcus unregistered

3g speeds faster on ATT, well possibly, when you actually HAVE 3g. I am strickly going on what each carriers maps show. Wouldn't be better to have MORE 3g coverage than faster 3g? And I belive VZW has a lot more coverage 3g that ATT, I dunno I could be wrong. My friend has a IP4 on ATT, and he is alway going back and forth from 3g to Edge, and he was having problems making calls, the ATT rep told him to turn the 3g to make calls and you would not have as many problems. But again I'm just going by observation. Final note- thats why we have more than one company stick to what you think is best, as for me I feel coverage for my travels across the country etc, VZW covers me better.

posted on Jan 11, 2011, 2:33 PM 0

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