When the new iPad was released in March, we were surprised to see the 4G LTE bandwidths supported would make it compatible only with networks in the States and Canada. For the millions outside – Australia in particular – that came as a disappointment. If the latest speculation is to be believed, the new iPhone (set to be announced on Wednesday) will feature a more globe-friendly chipset.

Apple Inc.’s next iPhone will work on the fastest wireless networks around the world—including in the U.S., Europe and Asia—though it is unlikely to be available on every carrier, people familiar with the matter said.

The technical compatibility with so-called LTE networks removes a competitive danger for Apple and gives carriers a chance to sell their fastest data services to Apple’s base of iPhone customers.

With Everything Everywhere launching its 4G  network in the UK soon, this comes as welcome news to us lot over the pond. Along with LTE, we’re expecting the next iPhone to have a 4″ Retina display, a faster A5 chip, and feature a change in design as well as a new, smaller dock connector. We’ll be covering the media event as it happens on Wednesday from 1pm Eastern (6pm BST) with shedloads of reaction coverage to follow. Keep us bookmarked, and you’ll hear all the updates as they happen.

Via: WSJ