India is the latest country to be linked to launch of a new CDMA iPhone, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that Apple is in talks with Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices on development of a device. All iPhones to date have run over competing GSM/WCDMA technology, although there has long been speculation that Apple will launch a CDMA iPhone for the largest US operator, Verizon Wireless. No timeframes for a possible Indian launch were given, although a Verizon launch is expected early next year. iPhones are currently available in India via GSM operators Bharti and Vodafone. Launching a CDMA iPhone would give Apple access to a potential Indian CDMA customer base of 124.3 million (according to Wireless Intelligence), as well as 96 million Verizon Wireless customers. Interestingly, the news comes a day after Google was reported to be pushing its presence in India through little-known Indian handset makers that are poised to launch low-cost devices that include its Android operating system (a rival to Apple’s iOS platform) in the coming months. 

In other iPhone news, Deutsche Telekom has lost its exclusive deal in Germany to sell the device, following the addition of O2 Germany and Vodafone Germany to Apple’s iPhone partners. Both new operator partners will offer the iPhone 4 in time for Christmas.