“Hey, Apple, this is Verizon. About that whole iPhone thing—can you hear me now?”

“Hey, Verizon, you’re starting to come in loud and clear.”

Or so it seems, as USA Today is reporting that discussions are heating up between Apple and Verizon to make the iPhone a possible phone option for the 80 million-plus Verizon users out there.

It’s always seemed kind of likely that AT&T couldn’t possibly hog the whole iPhone pie, and apparently talks are in the “high-level” stage even as Steve Jobs stays on the sidelines until June—and wouldn’t that be a pretty big statement to announce upon his return?

An iPhone version, perhaps as out as early as next year, would be Apple’s first on a network other than AT&T’s GSM-based, as Verizon employs CDMA technology.

And if you’re familiar with Verizon’s massive advertising campaign, you’re sure to think that it works just about anywhere (with an army of techies at your back). Now attach all of those iPhone apps to it and you’ve got yourself a pretty powerful mobile device.

USA Today notes that Verizon Wireless co-owner Vodafone sells the iPhone in Europe right now.

So, AT&T users, would you then consider switching to Verizon? And Verizon users, will you be dropping your current device to grab up an iPhone?

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.