Christmas is coming up, and Verizon's launched a whole new bevy of ads in order to push their new smartphone line-up this holiday season. If you haven't already seen it on television, you can check out any of the ads on Verizon's YouTube stream. Most of the ads are your normal fare, but one of them has got me thinking.

The ad is set in the isle of misfit toys, and features the iPhone as a newcomer to the island. The interesting thing about this is that Verizon isn't attacking the iPhone itself in this ad. In fact, the line the ad states that the iPhone is a fantastic smartphone, shackled to a terrible carrier with poor 3G coverage. That's somewhat different than Big Red's previous tactics, which included focusing on the iPhones shortcomings.

So why this sudden but subtle change of tact? Perhaps because there is some veracity to those rumors of an iPhone coming to Verizon in Q3 2010. Obviously, this is all just speculation, but we have seen a huge upswing of iPhone 4G rumors lately. Parts of the new phone have been spotted, and there have even been whispers that the 4G is already being tested on Verizon's network.

I have no trouble believing that Big Red wants to carry the iPhone. It's an incredibly successful family of devices, and an iPhone married to Verizon's reliable and extensive 3G network would be a potent combination. So what do you think; is this change of tact, combined with these rumors a sign that the iPhone is soon to hit Big Red, or just wishful thinking on my part?