Apple Talking to Verizon: Heading the Pre off at the Pass?

David sends in a tip and our friends at TiPb also report on a article at Business Week that claims that (can you believe this?) Apple and Verizon are in talks that could result in Apple releasing an 'iPhone Lite' and a 'Media Pad.'  The Palm Pre angle?  Business Week speculates that Apple might use their relationship with Verizon to keep the network from taking on the Palm Pre:

Apple could also use the prospect of an iPhone-esque device as leverage to prevent Verizon Wireless from introducing the Palm Pre, or at least delay the introduction of the smartphone on Verizon's network.

Given Verizon's well-known rejection of the iPhone, the fact that the two are talking to each other is relatively big news in and of itself.  The possibility that it might keep the Pre off the biggest CDMA network in the US is a serious bummer.  Verizon and Palm haven't had the greatest of relationships recently, the carrier has apparently declined to carry Palm's most recent Treo products -- the 800w and the Treo Pro -- so it's not a stretch to believe that Apple could talk the company into taking a pass on the Pre as well.

There's further discussion in our Palm Pre forums on this topic, where jc_unwired notes this NY Times Blog:

Verizon probably does have a significant interest in dragging negotiations on as long as possible. Not only does that have the potential to frustrate AT&T, but it also gives Verizon the most opportunity to assess the appeal in the market of the Palm Pre

Here's to hoping that the big V will get the Pre on their network once Sprint's exclusivity on the device runs out.