Verizon to unveil CDMA iPhone Tuesday

Verizon Wireless is reportedly to announce Tuesday the deal with Apple to finally launch its own version of the iPhone. The announcement will be made at a press conference in New York. Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that the wireless carrier will unveil its own version of the iconic smartphone, ending the exclusive distribution arrangement that Apple has had since 2007 with AT&T.

The Jesus phone for Verizon will be similar to the iPhone 4 but it will be based on the CDMA technology according to the Journal who cited sources familiar with the matter. The dates when the phones will come to the stores are unknown yet.

While the agreement between Apple and Verizon will significantly help the iPhone sales and boost the popularity of the carrier it may hurt T-Mobile USA and Spring Nextel who have no similar ties with the Cupertino.

The move to expand iPhone carriers beyond AT&T comes as Apple faces growing competition from phones based on Google's Android operating system. Google had no comment on the Verizon-iPhone reports.

Apple faced a choice of lowering the price on AT&T's iPhones or adding Verizon to the mix, mobile analysts say.

"If I'm Apple's board and I want to find a way to make a lot of money with little effort, I launch Verizon," says Ken Dulaney, an analyst at Gartner. "There is great momentum to move away from AT&T, given their dissatisfaction with AT&T's (balky) service."