Verizon Merrily wheeled out the LG Voyager at CTIA Wireless, keen to further promote their dual-screened QWERTY smartphone, but could LG be planning to pull the exclusivity rug out from under them with versions of the device for AT&T and Sprint?  That’s the suggestion of an unnamed LG source quoted in Korea’s Electronic News, who is claiming that positive sales of the handset - 1.1 million units of which have shipped since its launch in November 2007 - has prompted the company to develop their foothold in the US with further carrier-specific versions.  The assumption is that LG intend a GSM Voyager for AT&T and a CDMA version without MediaFLO for Sprint. 

“iPhone is being supplied through AT&T, the largest carrier in the US. But, Voyager is being supplied through Verizon, the second largest carrier in the US. Considering the fact, Voyager is making a surprising result. We plan to expand the supply of Voyager to AT&T and Sprint within this year. That will lay the strong foundation for LG in the North American market” unnamed LG official

It’s uncertain what timescale, beyond the vague “within this year”, LG are working to, and whether deals with Sprint and AT&T are already in place.  AT&T already have a touchscreen device by LG, the Vu, as the flagship of their new Mobile TV service, while Sprint seem to have put their touchscreen eggs in Samsung’s basket courtesy of the heavily promoted Instinct smartphone.  Of course, neither has the Voyager’s flip-out QWERTY keyboard.

Verizon are yet to comment on the news.  At CTIA Wireless the carrier announced the new enV2, also made by LG, but that lacks much of the smartphone credentials that have, arguably, made the Voyager so popular. 

Update 04/16/08: LG’s PR team have been in touch to wholly deny that they are planning a version of the Voyager for either Sprint or AT&T, and confirm that the handset remains exclusive to Verizon. 

[via Engadget Mobile]