New iPhone '4S' Rumor Puts it on T-Mobile, Sprint

Apple's plans to expand to other networks for bigger iPhone sales.

The state of 4G wireless speeds in the U.S. is in a bit of disarray, and analysts are saying that Apple isn't about to take its next iPhone to the LTE territory. Instead, the next iPhone will still rely on 3G technology with HSPA+.

In face, analysts say that the next iPhone won't be a significant leap over the current fourth generation model, which could mean that it'll be called the iPhone 4S instead of the iPhone 5. The break in numbering convention could confuse some buyers, but Apple has gone the "S" suffix route before when going from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS.

“According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support,” Jefferies & Co. analyst Peter Misek wrote in a research note.

Misek believes that Apple was testing a Qualcomm LTE chipset that it wanted to put in the next, but the chip “is currently not achieving yields sufficient for inclusion in the iPhone 5.”

Instead of hitting real LTE, the analyst's research points to Apple's continued venture onto  “industry checks indicate Apple will likely announce Sprint, T-Mobile, and China Mobile as new carriers.”

That's good news for people who aren't on Verizon or AT&T. We've already seen a prototype of the iPhone working on T-Mobile's AWS 1700 3G band. If the next iPhone does hit T-Mobile, it could mean great things for the new wireless entrants in Canada who are making use of the AWS spectrum.

_{Source: Forbes}