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So will these phones ever support CDMA or is that just going to be ignored? I wonder how they're doing in the US specifically considering their phones can't be

So will these phones ever support CDMA or is that just going to be ignored? I wonder how they're doing in the US specifically considering their phones can't be used on two of the larger carriers in the country.

kuschku 9y ago
Considering the Qualcomm monopoly on CDMA patents, why should they? CDMA is only used in a single country, one where Android is massively underrepresented, and it binds you to a single SoC vendor.
- taoistextremist 9y ago
  >CDMA is only used in a single country As far as I'm aware, two Chinese carriers, China Mobile and China Telecom, use CDMA. China Telecom I believe for everything, China Mobile for its 3G (4G in general is a bit harder to come by there in my experience, so often the only option for mobile data is 3G).
  - kuschku 9y ago
    You mean WCDMA? That's usual. But the US uses CDMA instead of GSM for audio and SMS content.
    - taoistextremist 9y ago
      I was wrong about China Mobile, it is just WCDMA, but China Telecom is using CDMA.
- kalleboo 9y ago
  > and it binds you to a single SoC vendor The next generation Intel modems will support CDMA https://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2017/02/23/intels-new-lte-chip-could-gobble-up-all-of-qualcomms-iphone-business/#5728006eabbb https://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2017/02/23/intels-n... > CDMA is only used in a single country And only on the legacy 3G networks of 2/4 major carriers at that. Even in the US, CDMA is on its deathbed.
kalleboo 9y ago
That's a problem that will solve itself as CDMA gets shutdown in favor of LTE. https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/updated-verizon-wireless-to-sunset-2g-and-3g-cdma-networks-by-2021 https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/updated-verizon-wire... We're already seeing this transition happen in other markets - in Japan, while KDDI is still running their 3G CDMA network, new iPhone models are not being provisioned to connect to it, using solely LTE (thanks to the LTE coverage being superior as they can use the low spectrum freed up by analog TV). What does LTE-only coverage look like on Verizon? Do you miss out on much if you pop a Verizon SIM in a device without CDMA? And do they support VoLTE?
- taoistextremist 9y ago
  When I go to more rural areas I find LTE isn't as frequently available on Verizon. I'm not sure if they're still eventually planning on expanding coverage there or if they've abandoned any plans given other carriers have filled the market.

kuschku 9y ago

Considering the Qualcomm monopoly on CDMA patents, why should they? CDMA is only used in a single country, one where Android is massively underrepresented, and it binds you to a single SoC vendor.

taoistextremist 9y ago
>CDMA is only used in a single country As far as I'm aware, two Chinese carriers, China Mobile and China Telecom, use CDMA. China Telecom I believe for everything, China Mobile for its 3G (4G in general is a bit harder to come by there in my experience, so often the only option for mobile data is 3G).
- kuschku 9y ago
  You mean WCDMA? That's usual. But the US uses CDMA instead of GSM for audio and SMS content.
  - taoistextremist 9y ago
    I was wrong about China Mobile, it is just WCDMA, but China Telecom is using CDMA.
kalleboo 9y ago
> and it binds you to a single SoC vendor The next generation Intel modems will support CDMA https://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2017/02/23/intels-new-lte-chip-could-gobble-up-all-of-qualcomms-iphone-business/#5728006eabbb https://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2017/02/23/intels-n... > CDMA is only used in a single country And only on the legacy 3G networks of 2/4 major carriers at that. Even in the US, CDMA is on its deathbed.

kalleboo 9y ago

That's a problem that will solve itself as CDMA gets shutdown in favor of LTE. https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/updated-verizon-wireless-to-sunset-2g-and-3g-cdma-networks-by-2021 https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/updated-verizon-wire... We're already seeing this transition happen in other markets - in Japan, while KDDI is still running their 3G CDMA network, new iPhone models are not being provisioned to connect to it, using solely LTE (thanks to the LTE coverage being superior as they can use the low spectrum freed up by analog TV). What does LTE-only coverage look like on Verizon? Do you miss out on much if you pop a Verizon SIM in a device without CDMA? And do they support VoLTE?

taoistextremist 9y ago
When I go to more rural areas I find LTE isn't as frequently available on Verizon. I'm not sure if they're still eventually planning on expanding coverage there or if they've abandoned any plans given other carriers have filled the market.