In my opinion this is the kind of thing you'd do at the launch of a new iPhone generation, not just a few weeks afterward. Absolutely not. If a deal with Veriz

In my opinion this is the kind of thing you'd do at the launch of a new iPhone generation, not just a few weeks afterward. Absolutely not. If a deal with Verizon were announced at the launch, it would have completely overshadowed all of the engineering effort put into the phone. It would be known as the "Verizon iPhone". This way, out of the spotlight, it leaves the iPhone brand unharmed.