Is the Nokia N95 going to Cingular?

Oliver Starr just posted something on his blog at the Guidewire Group that has me VERY excited:

Guidewire Connection has just learned via a trusted source within Nokia that the new N95 Smartphone, which is just now beginning to be released across the pond in Europe, is also being produced with a 1900-MHz model – the band that HSDPA runs on here in the USA. [Oliver Starr @ Guidewire Group]

Nokia and Cingular are apparently still working out the final details, but consider this… Nokia’s uber-smartphone running on a Cingular/ AT&T’s US 3G network! This multimedia computer seriously does it all: HSDPA(3G), WiFi, GPS, 5MP images and DVD Quality video, Video Center (RSS enclosures and YouTube) a killer browser, S60 FP1, gorgeous screen (2.6″ QVGA (240 x 320 pixels)) and opens with a dual slider (one for media and one for calls / txt). It can also handle 2GB of memory through miniSD and of course (thank you Nokia!) can make VOIP calls via SIP. There’s also an amazing universe of applications available to run on S60.

I’ve been lusting after the N95 for a while and if this rumor is true, will have to own this one.
I’ve been asked countless times now what I think about the iPhone and whether I’ll own one… It’s an obvious competitor here and as an equal-part Apple fanboy, I am torn. There are two things that kill me about the iPhone – NO 3G (ridiculous for a device at this price in 2007) and no access to WiFi for VOIP (also ridiculous, but at least I get the business reason from Cingular’s perspective). The other glaring omission from Apple here is the lack of a replaceable battery. In my experience dual-mode phones (cellular and wifi) eat battery like nothing else. If you use the data connections available, it can be hard to make it through a day…
The N95 is shipping today in Europe and the All About Symbian guys have theirs nicely unboxed. Interestingly enough Nokia chose a very Apple-like box design which just makes me think more that these two companies are eyeing each other with their vision for the ultimate converged device.
I hope your source is good Oliver!

Technorati Tags: 3G, Apple, AT&T, Cingular, GPS, HSDPA, iPhone, N-Series, N95, Nokia, S60v3 FP1, YouTube