Verizon iPhone teardown hints at dualmode iPhone 5

CDMA and GSM compatible chip inside

Verizon iPhone teardown hints at dualmode iPhone 5

8 February 2011 11:09 GMT / By Paul Lamkin

Verizon may have announced that it has had to cease online orders of the iPhone 4 to its existing customers after a record of first day of sales, but that hasn't stopped teardown champion iFixit from nabbing one.

And, rather than sticking it on eBay for an astronomical fee, the iFixit boys did what they do best; they took it to bits - and they uncovered something rather intriguing.

Inside the device they found the Qualcomm MDM6600 chip - a chip that is both GSM and CDMA compatible. And while the Verizon iPhone has no space for a GSM touting SIM card, that's not to say that the iPhone 5 won't offer both options. After all, why would Apple produce two models when they can do it all in one?

Other teardown tit-bits include:

- A new linear oscillating vibrator for call and message alerts.

- An additional notch in the antenna enclosure that may help to combat the antennagate problems,

- A new model number (616-0520) for the battery that weighs less at 25.6g.

iFixit rated the Verizon iPhone 6 out of 10 for repairability and stated that it will have repair guides ready "very soon".