Don’t Get Verizon’s iPhone 4: Here’s Why Dylan Duarte February 11, 2011 Well, it’s finally here. The Verizon iPhone 4 went on sale yesterday and broke the company’s first day sales records for a single device. I’ve been with Verizon, my one and only cell phone carrier, for a few years now and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t desire the iPhone at some point. In my case, it’s too little, too late. I’m more than happy with my Droid Incredible. It may not have the 400,000+ apps that iOS does, but I’ve found my fair share of Android apps. If you haven’t purchased your Verizon iPhone yet, it means you’re still on the fence. So let me give you a few reasons to climb down and stick with whatever phone you’re currently using. Beware of CDMA-Specific Woes While I personally think it’s an incredibly overhyped feature, a surprisingly big selling point for the iPhone is the ability to surf the web while talking on the phone. I understand its use, and I’ve done so on my Droid a few times using WiFi, but people really go nuts for this feature. Unfortunately, Verizon’s CDMA technology handles voice and data separately, meaning this can’t be done on their iPhone. It’s one or the other, I’m afraid. Another drawback of Verizon using CDMA is that it greatly hampers international service. Of course this isn’t a problem if you don’t plan to travel abroad. If you do, though, your Verizon iPhone won’t be of much use, especially in Europe where the carriers have no CDMA coverage whatsoever. Forget About 4G Super Speed So what if you’re just staying put, right where you know you get good service? That’s great, but don’t expect to keep up with all those darn kids and their newfangled 4G speeds. The iPhone isn’t compatible with 4G and probably won’t be for quite some time, due to chip costs and possibly some size issues. Not that 3G is slow, but the way Verizon is pushing 4G it seems ridiculous to commit to a phone that’s already a tad outdated. Verizon is supposed to have almost a dozen 4G-capable phones by the middle of the year, but the iPhone sure isn’t one of them. And One More Thing… Alright, maybe 3G is more than fast enough for you. It’s certainly served me well. And you don’t plan on backpacking across Europe, so international roaming isn’t a concern of yours. And on top of all of that, you hate multitasking, so you wouldn’t surf the net while taking a phone call even if you had the ability. That’s fine, and I’m glad you’ve got it all worked out. But there’s still the most compelling reason not to buy a Verizon iPhone 4. The (more than likely) 4G-enabled iPhone 5 is quite possibly right around the corner. There’s been buzz for a while, saying Apple is gearing up to announce the next generation of iPhone in June, just a mere four months away. And if you purchase an iPhone now, you’ll be locked into a contract for two whole years. So, in closing, if you’re that dead set on getting yourself an iPhone 4 right now, you’re not a being of pure logic. Don’t feel bad; few of us are. At least wait for more iPhone 5 news or risk suffering the agony of buyer’s remorse. Share This With The World!