Verizon iPhone launch appears set for Feb. 3

We appear to be closing in on a solid date for a Verizon iPhone launch, although everything is still conjecture and rumor. While an earlier report indicated a three-week blackout period for Apple retail employees, at least those without seniority. Now we have heard that employee vacation requests, reportedly not just for retail employees, have been blacked out for Feb. 3 through 6.

This is a Thursday - Sunday timeframe, and the iPhone 4 saw a similar weekend launch (24 - 27) in June of 2010, also a Thursday through Sunday. Further evidence pointing to this being for the Verizon iPhone is that Verizon Wireless typically launches new devices on Thursdays.

Of course, there are a number of other possibilities, including Sandy Bridge-based Macs, and the iPad 2. As we said before, though, the iPad 2 will likely come after a Verizon iPhone launch, if only because a CDMA iPhone will almost certainly be available before a CDMA iPad, which would seemingly be a necessary option for the iPad 2.

There are also rumors that Verizon is blacking out vacation time in the early February time range as well, but as with all the other reports, they could mean anything. We just assume, given the high-priority nature of the Verizon iPhone, that all of these are related.