Verizon getting iPhone before Valentines Day 2011

Despite rumors and speculation suggesting otherwise, the much anticipated Verizon iPhone will not be released at the upcoming CES expo in January of 2011, instead it may come shortly after at an Apple event. This according to BusinessWeek:

Apple’s introduction of an iPhone for use on Verizon’s network will come sometime after the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January, according to a person familiar with Apple’s plans who is not authorized to discuss them publicly.

Citing no particular source, BusinessWeek reports that Verizon will be getting the iPhone “very soon, maybe by Valentine’s Day” of 2011. Valentine’s Day is on February 14, which would be in line with the “early 2011” reports that were claimed by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal in October.

The impending release of a Verizon iPhone may also help to explain some of the recent iPhone 4 discounts that are being offered alongside two year AT&T commitments. Other signs of Verizon getting the iPhone include Skype displaying the Verizon logo on a FAQ page regarding Skype video conferencing with the iPhone, and recent job postings by Apple looking for CDMA engineers.

There continues to be no word regarding the specific white iPhone 4 release date, but some analysts suggest that it will coincide with the Verizon announcement.