Sure, Verizon Wireless is finally getting the iPhone 4 after being announced Tuesday morning in New York City. But it appears the updated photos and videos leaked last week showed off one small problem: The buttons on the Verizon model are slightly lower, meaning some cases may not work.
Engadget is reporting that Verizon’s CDMA-packing iPhone 4 does indeed offer a slightly modified frame, including mute and volume buttons that are just a hair lower than those found on the AT&T GSM version.
“That means a lot of cases -- Apple's current bumpers included -- won't fit properly on the Verizon version, although many third-party cases feature an open slot for the buttons that might still work,” Engadget notes. “Either way, we'd bet Apple and third-party manufacturers are scrambling to have compatible cases in stores before the February 10th launch date -- just make sure to check yours first if you're switching from AT&T.”
As you can see in the photo above, the button placement isn’t the only thing different with the Verizon iPhone 4 (pictured atop the AT&T version) -- the controversial frame gaps are also a bit different. What does it all mean? Presumably, Apple had to make some concessions to pack the CDMA antenna inside, resulting in these subtle changes to the existing iPhone 4 frame.
The handset is essentially the same internally as well, save for the new Mobile Hotspot feature in the Settings menu (it’s not a separate app as first thought) and the fact that the Verizon model is rocking the as-yet unavailable iOS 4.2.5, which may or may not come to all iPhone 4 hardware by February 10. In the meantime, check out our gallery of the new Verizon iPhone 4.
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(Image courtesy of Engadget)
