By Margaret Rock | Wed Sep 14, 2011 3:38 pm |
Apple and Sprint are working on a version of the iPad 2 for Sprint's data network that may be ready next month, giving the wireless carrier another heavy hitter to add to its lineup.
The report maintains the two companies have completed development of an iPad 2 that includes an embedded cellular radio compatible with Sprint's data network, though it's not clear whether Sprint's older 3G network or its 4G WiMax network will support it. The pattern of a carrier getting the iPhone and then the iPad was set earlier this year, when Verizon confirmed it would offer a network-compatible iPad shortly after it launched the iPhone 4. Both Sprint and Apple declined to comment on the rumor. But last week Sprint announced it would extend its unlimited data plan to Apple's iPhone. If it does the same for the popular tablet device, customers may flock to the carrier. Sprint is the only carrier to offer unlimited plans. The carrier charges $100 per month for voice and data, a factor that may give iPad-buying customers another consideration in determining their best value. Sprint's ability to offer its customer a greater selection of devices may also lure subscribers at a time when the company struggles to compete with larger rivals. Unlimited data is not a certainty, however. CEO Dan Hesse said previously he will cancel Sprint's unlimited data offering if it proves too taxing for the network. "If I have an all-you-can-eat buffet, and the entire New England Patriots football team shows up for dinner, it's going to run me out of business," he said. Elite offerings like the iPad and iPhone, along with the Sprint's unlimited data plans, may prove an irresistible combination for consumers if the carrier is able to sustain the resulting demands on its network.
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