Verizon iPhone 4 Launches With Redesigned Antenna, Personal Hotspot, iOS 4.2.5

Today Apple and Verizon announced the Verizon-compatible iPhone. This new iPhone 4 is almost identical to the existing GSM-based iPhone 4, but has come with a few major differences.

New Antenna

The first major change is the Antenna. The Verizon iPhone 4, unlike existing iPhone 4 devices, features four antenna breaks in the casing instead of three. The placement has also changed.

The new antenna design makes the following moves (when facing the display):

  • GSM iPhone 4 bottom left and bottom right antennas are the same as on the Verizon iPhone 4.
  • New antenna breaks on the top left and right of the Verizon iPhone 4.
  • No antenna break at the top of the Verizon iPhone 4, unlike the GSM iPhone 4

These antenna changes have also caused a downward shift of the silent switch, making many cases, including Apple’s own Bumper, incompatible with the Verizon iPhone 4.

Personal Hotspot

The next major difference is the included “Personal Hotspot”. This turns the iPhone 4 into a router that is able to connect to and provide Internet access to up to five devices. The feature is built right into the Settings app.

For those that have ever used the jailbreak app MyWi, or have heard or used Bell Mobility’s MiFi devices, you will be instantly familiar with Personal Hotspot.

It is unknown if this will be exclusive to Verizon, or if Personal Hotspot will be available with a future software update. And speaking of software updates…

iOS 4.2.5

Aside from antenna changes and the Personal Hotspot, the Verizon iPhone 4 also launched with iOS 4.2.5. We are all running the latest firmware, iOS 4.2.1.

This software update undoubtedly brought the Personal Hotspot feature, but will this be released to all iPhones devices?

Will we see this iOS update in February, alongside the Verizon iPhone 4 launch or will everything merge with iOS 4.3?

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