While the level of LTE competition among carriers is high in the U.S., Kagan and other analysts are unsure whether the carriers will be able to convey LTE's value through marketing to their customers for the next iPhone. Perhaps the next iPhone's cachet and styling as well as its larger screen than its predecessors' will draw the customers despite LTE, the same way the first iPhone lured customers to AT&T fiveyears ago, analysts said.

The data sharing plans that Verizon and AT&T introduced during the summer were apparently in anticipation of a new iPhone as well as a slew of newer LTE-ready Android phones that will place greater demands on their networks, analysts said.

first went to LTE with its new in March, using two carriers in Canada and both Verizon and AT&T LTE in the U.S.. To roll out LTE service anywhere in the world, the next iPhone would need chips that can work over an estimated 40 LTE bands, so it seems fairly clear that Apple will focus on LTE where the markets are more mature -- the U.S., South Korea and Japan.

Amazon announced an 8.9-in. called the last week that will support 10 LTE bands, seemingly to provide connectivity anywhere in North America. It will sell for $499, the same as the starting price for the iPad.

When Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced the new Kindle Fire HD LTE last week, he touted the LTE capability as a key selling point, calling LTE the "ultimate tablet feature." On AT&T, customers using the new Kindle device will pay a discounted price of $50 a year for up to 250 MB a month, a big reduction in the annual cost for data with a new iPad on LTE. That kind of discount might be something AT&T has in store with an iPhone on LTE, some analysts suggested.