[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by butterfly0fdoom 

Actually, China has GSM support (given that their unwritten policy is to offer unlocked cellphones, and the fact that two mainland carriers are interested in carrying the iPhone...).

They have GSM support, but from what I understand, they've been moving to CDMA for the past couple of years, although it's the variant of CDMA that uses the RUIM cards which are similar to the SIM cards that GSM uses (thus making an unlocked CDMA phone possible).

Japan has some GSM towers, IIRC; Vodafone tried to compete there and used GSM phones, but I think they've given up, and I don't know if those towers still exist.

Gsmworld.com shows no GSM coverage at all for Japan or South Korea.

GSM is generally more widely used, though, AFAIK.

That may be true, but to say no one uses CDMA is just not accurate.

As for building two models for different markets, it's possible, but I don't think both CDMA and GSM iPhones would be offered simultaneously in the US.

Well, given that most of the US market is CDMA, that would be a strange business decision.

[butterfly0fdoom]

Well, given Apple's habit of exclusivity, nothing's out of possibility.

Especially when Verizon is likely to butt heads with Jobs a lot. Which is made apparent by Apple and Verizon opting not to launch the original iPhone.

[Saint_Stryfe]

later this week or next, the merger of AT&T and Dobson Cell (aka Cellular One) will be completed, and Dobson customers (In many medium-density rural areas like Southeast NY State, where Cell One has very dense cell coverage) will be able to use the iPhone in addition to buying it. I'm a Cell One customer, and have been holding out to get an iPhone. Looks like I'm getting my Christmas gift. LOL