Apple is preparing a version of the iPhone that works with 3G networks. It should be available sometime next year, according to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson.
Stephenson was reported to have made the comments during his appearance at an event in Santa Clara, Calif.
AT&T has gotten a boost by offering the iPhone with its networks, but thus far the iPhone has only been able to provide access through AT&T’s Edge network, which provides slower data rates than AT&T’s 3G network.
The announcement answers one of the key criticisms of the iPhone – that it only works on slower networks. Apple was widely expected to make the iPhone compatible with 3G networks; the issue was when.