NEW YORK (Reuters) – Apple Inc plans to begin making a new iPhone by the end of the year, and Verizon Wireless will begin selling them in early 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

AT&T is the sole U.S. carrier for the popular smartphone, and investors and consumers alike have long speculated over when Apple will expand distribution.

Verizon Wireless and Apple representatives were not immediately available for comment on the report.

A recent study by Deloitte found that close to half of Apple iPhone users would be interested in switching over to Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone, if that option were available.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew and Ritsuko Ando. Editing by Robert MacMillan)

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