Number one US operator Verizon Wireless yesterday used its 2Q09 earnings announcement to reiterate plans to launch the high-profile Palm Pre smartphone (pictured, right) and build its own application store, whilst ramping up speculation surrounding future availability of an LTE-based iPhone. A Wall Street Journal report notes that, on a conference call with analysts, Denny Strigl, Verizon’s president and operating chief, said the company will begin selling the Pre early next year, when the device’s exclusivity arrangement with rival operator Sprint ends. Earlier reports indicated there might be a longer wait for a Verizon Palm Pre. Just before the Pre was launched last month, Sprint Nextel’s CEO Dan Hesse threw cold water on a statement made by Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam that Verizon would offer the Pre on its network within six months.

Meanwhile, Verizon’s CFO John Killian said the company expects its app store to launch by the end of the year. Details of the new store will be released later today at the operator’s developer conference in San Jose, California. Separately, a Bloomberg report quotes Lowell McAdam as stating that “there’s a very good possibility” Verizon will offer an LTE device with Apple, reigniting speculation linking the two companies. Yesterday Verizon posted second-quarter earnings of US$1.48 billion, down 21 percent from the year-earlier period, while revenue grew 11 percent to US$26.86 billion. Last week, rival AT&T reported a 15 percent drop in profit to US$3.2 billion, on revenue of US$30.73 billion.