Verizon’s Comments Suggest Apple is Keeping its iPhone Partners in the Dark

Speaking with CNBC this past week, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam commented that Verizon executives believed that Apple was going to release the next iPhone handset sometime around June or July, as it had with previous iPhone models. This news, coming from the incoming Chief Executive of one of Apple’s largest carrier partners, would suggest that Apple has been keeping quiet about its iPhone development and release plans – even with partners that move millions of handsets each year.

During its quarterly conference call to discuss the company’s earnings and guidance, McAdam stated that Verizon “had assumed that we would see an iPhone early in the summertime as it’s been usually, and that’s going to be a little bit later in the year now.” Rumors and speculation have abounded regarding the next iPhone handset – the iPhone 4S, or the iPhone 5 depending on whom you believe – with the launch expected to happen sometime in September. McAdam unfortunately didn’t offer any information in the way of dates.

The earnings call also shed some light on Verizon’s plans going forward, with McAdam taking over the reins as CEO from incumbent Ivan Seidenberg. Seidenberg will stay with Verizon, moving to the Chairman position. The company spoke freely about its iPhone sales figures, noting that in the 2^nd calendar quarter of 2011 Verizon sold 2.4 million iPhone 4 handsets, which is about 1.3 million fewer than competitor AT&T activated over the same period.

Verizon joined up with Apple to start selling iOS devices late in 2010, a relationship which started by Verizon selling the iPad and then moving to an iPhone 4 model which had seemingly been developed just for them, utilizing the company’s CDMA technology. Since Verizon joined Apple’s family of iPhone carriers, the network has sold millions of iPhone, iPad and iPad 2 devices.

Much to Apple’s chagrin, however, Verizon has also been the source of numerous iPhone and iPad related leaks. When Verizon first started carrying the iPhone 4, Chief Financial Officer Francis Shammo commented to Bloomberg that Verizon would soon start selling a new iPad model that had a Verizon-compatible CDMA radio. Shortly after, the iPad 2 was announced and it was confirmed that Verizon customers would be able to purchase a 3G model that used Verizon’s cellular data network.

Shammo was also the source of speculation that Apple’s next iPhone handset would be “world phone” compatible, having compatibility with both GSM and CDMA networks at many different frequencies. This would allow Apple to avoid having to manufacture separate devices for Verizon and AT&T, and would give its customers greater flexibility when traveling. It’s unclear as of yet whether this move – which makes sense for Apple – is expected to occur with the iPhone handset seemingly launching in September.

As expected, Apple’s spokespeople did not comment on McAdam’s report.