This is basically still very much an up in the air rumour and until Apple actually comes right out and make an official announcement it will always remain in the realms of rumour, but apparently the New York Times is confirming that Apple will deliver the much talked about Verizon iPhone in early 2011.

According to an article over on Gizmodo by Casey Chan, the NYT has said that the driving force behind Apple chief Steve Job’s decision to end AT&T’s exclusivity over the iPhone is the ever-present threat of Android and that 32% of new smartphones sold in the US over the last 6 months where Android devices while the iPhone accounted for 25%.

Apparently Apple is now working on making a CDMA iPhone for Verizon Wireless and according to someone in direct contact with Apple, Apple and the Big Red will start offering the Verizon iPhone next year, although as usual that person remains anonymous.

Obviously when contacted on the matter both Apple and Verizon Wireless declined to comment; hence this is still being treated as an unconfirmed rumour, but if true it does look like finally those people who have been waiting years for the iPhone to come to the Big Red network may be getting their way.