Apple and Verizon deals in the works

THE DARK satanic rumour has turned out a yarn which claims that the fruit themed toymaker Apple is about to release a tablet PC with Verizon Wireless. Certainly something is happening between the two companies.

USA Today claimed that Verizon could get an iPhone as early as next year, and both BusinessWeek and the New York Times are reporting that Apple and Verzion are in talks. The subject of the talks is a mystery bout something called an "iPhone lite" and a touchscreen "media pad” have been mentioned by those in the know.

The New York Times confirmed that Apple and Verizon execs were in "high-level" discussions to "sell a version of the iPhone" that "would work on Verizon's network." The kit may work on Verizon's CDMA network and its new, LTE network starting next year.

The "iPhone lite" is reported to be thinner and smaller than the current iPhone and will have an integrated "system on a chip" that would lower manufacturing costs. The media pad will be smaller than the Kindle but armed with a larger touchscreen, "that would let users listen to music, view photos, and watch high-definition videos," and would "place calls over a Wi-Fi connection,” the Times claims. µ