By Douglas A. McIntyre
AT&T (T) will lose its U.S. exclusive distribution rights for the Apple (AAPL) iPhone on Wednesday, according to a report published at tech blog Hot Hardware, which claims to have an inside source. That’s the same day that Apple is holding a special press event at which it is expected to launch its new tablet computer. By contract, AT&T has an exclusive relationship with Apple until later this year, but that wouldn’t prevent Apple from revealing its plans for the iPhone when that exclusive is over.
Rumors about Apple inking a deal with Verizon (VZ) have been in the media for months
