Recent rumors have pointed to a “worldmode” iPhone sometime next year, which would mean Verizon network compatibility. Today, we get independent, if off-handed, confirmation that the mothership is at least talking with the chipset maker at the center of this tantalizing possibility.

There are some clues lurking about that Apple may be thinking about getting into the computer game business, following up on the newfound popularity of the iPhone and Touch as gaming platforms.

When Apple announced the third generation iPod touch in September, many were disappointed that the device didn’t include a camera. A little of that sentiment is perhaps evident in a fresh rumor that the mothership plans (despite the fact that Phil Schiller has publicly announced that the company’s holiday line up is set) to release a revised model in December.

The long rumored iPhone nano could be on the verge becoming a reality, according to a rumor out of Taiwan. Moreover, reportedly smaller version of Apple’s world changing smartphone will pack quite a wallop as it’s expected to bridge incompatible CDMA and UMTS wireless systems, raising hopes once again of the iPhone coming to Verizon.

With the world going mad, mad, mad for the Motorola Droid and HTC Android from Verizon, AT&T is purportedly looking for a strategy to counter the hype. Then again, slashing the price of Apple’s flagship phone so early in the product cycle might be more than Steve Jobs is willing to give this holiday season.

It is easy to see the iPhone as a mixed blessing for a wireless provider, with insanely high data rates on one side and insanely high sign-up rates on the other. Do Apple and Verizon want each other?

The Mac tablet breadcrumb trail now leads down under with media companies in Oz, off the record of course, reporting that the mothership’s been round to pitch their phantom device. This latest report adds weight to rumors that the Cupertino, California-based Mac, iPod and iPhone maker is preparing to remake the publishing business, bringing it into the 21st Century.

The prior television ad released by Verizon in the smartphone marketplace was a virtual love-in with the iPhone. Their latest, however, shows love for the new Android while dissing the iPhone.

The new ad from Verizon, aimed squarely at highlighting the shoddy service provided by AT&T to iPhone users, could be seen as a public bid to wrest Apple’s business away from AT&T.

One hapless Big Apple iPhone user went to the Apple Store Genius Bar to see if something was wrong with his phone after experiencing a lot of dropped calls — AT&T said everything was good on their end — only to be told more than one-in-five of his calls were being dropped. Imagine his surprise when the Genius helping him said on average iPhone users in Gotham were fairing even worse than he.