"The changes required [for a GSM iPhone] are not insignificant," Lam said. "But the CDMA iPhone foretells the feature design of the next iPhone."

Analysts have been speculating on whether Apple will be able to ship a single iPhone that will support both technologies, a move one expert last week said was in Apple's interest.

Today, Lam didn't think that was likely because of the additional costs that Apple would incur adding parts that would not be used by everyone. Instead, Apple would probably retain separate models for CDMA and GSM networks.

"Apple's past history is that it has a very methodical pattern of design, and so is fairly predictable," said Lam, ticking off another clue that Apple will retain the bulk of the Verizon iPhone's design, including the Qualcomm processor, this summer when it introduces its next smartphone.

That next iPhone, which analysts and pundits have dubbed "iPhone 5" for the moment, will probably be , the opening day of 's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the event that Apple has used since 2008 to roll out its newest model.