While iPhone sales weren't about to start dropping--after all, where there's a new iPhone, there are always people who will feel obligated to replace their year-old version--there's no question that Apple would like to expand its customer base.

And while I'm sure Apple would have been happy to wait for LTE to have reached maturity, the fact that the 4G network is in the process of being rolled out means that the roadmap for future iPhones is at least in place.

Ah, AT&T. We knew you well--wait, AT&T's not dead?

Not by a long shot. While many have pegged the introduction of a Verizon iPhone as a death knell for AT&T, there are plenty of other factors at play here that guarantee that Apple's partner of the last four years isn't done yet.