In what has turned out to be a big day for Apple (News - Alert), the technology innovator had no problem sharing the spotlight today when it announced the latest version of the iPhone in line with the company’s latest partnership, as Sprint (News - Alert) joins the lineup as the third major carrier to offer Apple’s groundbreaking smartphone.

Long has been the debate of whether wireless carrier Sprint would ever hop on board with competitors AT&T (News - Alert) and Verizon to carry Apple’s infamous iPhone. And as the anticipation of the official announcement revolving around the iPhone 5 has been building over the past couple of months, today a lot of rumors have been confirmed.

The results are finally in. While not the iPhone announcement many loyal fans were hoping for, Apple has officially confirmed that the latest version of the company’s smartphone, the iPhone 4S, will be available for preorder Oct. 7 and on sale to the public on Oct. 14. On the heels of the iPhone 4S announcement, Apple also announced Sprint as the latest carrier to join the distribution of its 4S model.

In what turned out to be perfect timing for a breaking development, Matt Carter, President of Sprint Wholesale Solutions and New Ventures sat down with TMCnet at COMPTEL PLUS, in Orlando, FL at the exact moment Apple announced the news to the media.

Carter noted that while Sprint, currently the number three wireless carrier, doesn’t believe that carrying the iPhone will be the reason behind the carrier moving up in ranking, he does believe that providing its customers with the latest version of Apple’s smartphone is definitely a step in the right direction for Sprint.

He referred to the decision to carry the iPhone 4S as a step to continuing the momentum that Sprint has built to gain a better ranking next to the carrier competition. “It’s definitely a nice feather in the cap,” Carter said.  

The carrier hopes that by carrying the sought after smartphone, it will eliminate any reason why customers would wish to discontinue their service with Sprint. While customers may have left Sprint in the past for lack of carrying the device, the hope of the company is that those customers will return to Sprint now that the iPhone will be added to its inventory.  

“The iPhone will be a great addition to the already stellar lineup of devices Sprint offers and will add to how our company will continue to provide the best products from our portfolio,” Carter exclusively told TMCnet.

While the option of obtaining the iPhone for Sprint customers is certainly a big deal for those loyal customers who have been waiting for the device to come to the Sprint network, the company doesn’t want to discredit all of the other robust smartphones Sprint offers that have assisted as the drivers behind the success Sprint’s 4G network has achieved thus far. Carter specifically mentioned the HTC EVO and the Samsung (News - Alert) Epic as two smartphones that have been very well-received by Sprint’s customers.

In lieu of the highly anticipated announcement from Apple regarding the latest version of its smartphone, the iPhone 4S will be available from Sprint on Oct. 14, the same day it will become public to Verizon (News - Alert) and AT&T customers.

As for details of Sprint providing service for Apple’s iPad in the near future, Carter simply said, “Anything is possible. Now that we are offering the iPhone, let’s take things one step at a time.”

But don’t think that with the iPhone announcement out in the open that Sprint isn’t continuing to provide its customers with more of its latest developments. The carrier intends to make another big announcement this Friday regarding enhancements to Sprint’s 4G strategy.

“The feedback of Sprint’s 4G network has been immense. One you experience the speed of 4G, you have a hard time going back,” Carter added.

Stay tuned to TMCnet as information on the latest stories from Sprint are released.