iPhone 5 Will Be An LTE Device, May Actually Launch This Year!

Etisalat, the UAE-based carrier which is also the 13^th largest mobile operator in the world has just reported that the next-generation iPhone will be an LTE device.

Amidst speculations and rumors concerning the actual beingness of the next-generation iPhone, the latest piece of update brings an interesting twist in the story. Long since, it has been speculated that the next-generation iPhone may not be an LTE device.

This was justified by the fact that Apple has earlier rolled out iPhone 3G followed by iPhone 3GS. Like wise, the probability of the next-gen iPhone to be iPhone 4S is highly anticipated. Apparently, this would suggest minor updates in the hardware of the new device, and 4G LTE did not seem to be a significant possibility.

But the Chief Corporate Communication Officer at Etisalat suggests that the network is in talks with Apple for officially supporting iPhone 5 on its almost-ready 4G LTE network. This implies we are likely to see an LTE iPhone this year.

Could This Be The Next-Gen iPhone ? Maybe.

According to Ali Al Ahmad :

“Yes, we are in talks with most smartphone manufacturers including Apple on the rollout of the 4G handset, iPhone 5 later this year. As the first telecom organisation to roll out the 4G network, LTE, in the Middle East, we have already started talking to them for the handsets and chipsets in them.”

If Apple rolls out an iPhone LTE model, users will have access to the incredibly fast mobile broadband networks with download speeds ranging up to 150Mbps. While this would certainly be a welcome feature in the device, data plan subscriptions supporting the new technology would naturally cost higher.

He was also quoted as saying :

“LTE, the fourth generation mobile technology, has been implemented by etisalat in the age of the popularity of smartphones and tablet devices to meet customers’ demand for richer services and connected lifestyles. Etisalat’s 4G services will bring significant benefits and opportunities to customers and businesses alike with higher throughput and efficiency. In addition, it will bring limitless broadband access to customers anytime, anywhere.”

Featured : Rumored iPhone 5/ iPhone 4S With Edge-To-Edge Display

Apple has already released the iOS 5 at the WWDC 2011 and the upcoming iPhone (whether iPhone 5 LTE or iPhone 4S LTE) will sport an improved version of the same OS with features that are distinct for the new iPhone.

Among other anticipated improvements, iPhone 5 features a bigger display (or an edge-to-edge display) with same display resolution, an 8 megapixel camera sensor at the back, a front-facing camera as it appeared in iPhone 4, full HD video recording, a faster dual-core processor with doubled RAM, greater flash storage and much more.

Apple has not yet commented on the subject, but we are likely to hear more about this as we inch closer to the official unveiling of one of the most anticipated smartphones in the world.

We will keep you posted as more details surface. Stay tuned.

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