Apple will indeed debut its 5G capable iPhone 12 lineup this fall, but a new report says that only the high-end model will allow users to benefit from fast mmWave 5G, while the rest of the lineup will be saddled with the slower but more widespread sub-6Hz 5G spectrum.
A new report by Fast Company suggests that mmWave technology could be limited to Apple’s largest and most expensive iPhone, the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Fast Company’s source tells them that only the largest iPhone 12 will have enough space inside it to accommodate the antenna design required for mmWave 5G support, as well as the larger battery required for the technology’s increased battery drain.
The publication also believes mmWave support will be restricted to versions of the new phone sold only in the United States, Japan, and Korea, as some countries do not as yet have well built-out mmWave networks.
While mmWave is the fastest version of 5G – offering download speeds of up to 1Gb/s, it has a much shorter range, making it suitable only for high population urban areas due to the cost of its deployment.
Meanwhile, sub-6GHz 4G, while faster than a 4G connection is slower than mmWave 5G. However, it has a much longer range, making it suitable for use in suburban and rural areas as well as urban. Sub-6GHz is expected to be the more widely available version of the technology.
