TechCrunch Desktop Logo
TechCrunch Mobile Logo

Verizon And Apple Began Working Together To Make The CDMA iPhone In 2008

MG Siegler

Today at the Verizon event in New York City, Verizon President Lowell McAdam took the stage to present the worst kept secret in the tech world: the iPhone on Verizon’s network. But what you may not know is that Verizon and Apple have been working together on the device since 2008, McAdam said.

“Our strategic relationship with Apple has evolved over the past 2 years. Before many of you were writing about it,” he joked. He noted that the two companies needed to start talking back then to make sure they could get a CDMA version of the device. That work will finally come to fruition early next month, he said.

To be clear: this will be a CDMA version of the current iPhone 4.

Apple COO Tim Cook then took the stage to give Apple’s perspective on the partnership. He said Apple was very excited to bring the iPhone 4 to Verizon’s 93 million customers. And he hopes more will join.

“We had been talking to Verizon for a while,” Cook confirmed. “This is just the beginning of a great relationship between Apple and Verizon,” he said.

The Verizon iPhone 4 will launch on February 3 exclusively first for current Verizon customers. It will launch on February 10 for everyone else. It will be the same $199.99 price for the 16 GB model and $299.99 for the 32 GB model.

Techcrunch event

Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room

Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.

Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit

1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately

Offer ends March 13.

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026
REGISTER NOW

One key difference from the AT&T version is that will be able able to be used as a personal hotspot — you’ll be able to connect up to 5 WiFi-enabled devices. Which is awesome.

“The most popular question has been: when will the iPhone work on Verizon’s network?,” Cook noted. Now we have that answer.

More Coverage:

Topics

, , ,
MG Siegler

M.G. Siegler is a general partner at Google Ventures, where he primarily focuses on early-stage investments. He has been deeply involved in the startup space since 2005, first as a web developer, then as a writer, and most recently as an investor and advisor. Having spent the past year in London helping to get Google Ventures’ European organization up and running, M.G. is now back in the Bay Area, working mainly out of Google Ventures’ San Francisco office. Before joining Google Ventures, M.G. was a founding partner of CrunchFund, an early-stage investment fund. Prior to that, he reported on the startup world as a writer for both TechCrunch and VentureBeat. M.G. still writes a column for TechCrunch on top of writing on his own sites and from time-to-time doing movie reviews in haiku. Originally from Ohio, M.G. graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor before moving out west to work in Hollywood. One day, he will write that killer screenplay.

View Bio
April 30
San Francisco, CA


StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited.

REGISTER NOW
Loading the next article
Error loading the next article