It is general knowledge that Apple will release a new generation of iPhone (iPhone 12 series) next week. One of the main selling points of this new iPhone will be its support for “5G” networks. Unfortunately, so far, US mobile operators are not fully prepared for this technology. A few days ago, Apple announced that it will hold a global press conference at 1:00 am Beijing time on October 14. This will be Apple’s second autumn press conference this year. According to reports, Apple will release the long-awaited new generation of iPhone “iPhone 12” by then.
Also, “5G” will be the core topic of this conference. 5G will make the download speed of the iPhone cellular network many times faster. However, in some developed markets such as the United States, 5G network coverage is still limited.
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American operators are not 100% ready for 5G
As the three major mobile operators in the United States, Verizon Communications, AT&T, and T-Mobile have not yet launched a ārealā 5G network. This means that they have not yet launched a truly high-speed or extensive 5G service. If these companies do not significantly upgrade their networks as soon as possible, many consumers who buy the latest iPhone may find that the main functions of the iPhone 12 are unusable.
In the first half of this year, IHS Markit tested 5G networks in 125 regions in the United States. The test found that the 5G network speeds of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint are only slightly faster than 4G LTE. Both AT&T and T-Mobile claim that their 5G network has covered “the entire United States,” which means that it can cover 200 million people in the United States.Ā But in fact, their 5G network coverage is still sporadic, and the data speed is not always very fast.
In contrast, Verizon’s 5G network using millimeter wave technology is much faster, but it can only be used in parts of 36 cities.Ā Moreover, due to frequency, the signal will deteriorate rapidly.
In contrast, the 5G performance in several other countries is much better. According to Counterpoint Research, in the second quarter of this year, 5G mobile phones account for 1/3 of all mobile phones sold in the Chinese market.
For Apple’s next week’s conference, there are reports that the iPhone 12 series will have four iPhones. We will see the iPhone 12 Mini (5.4 inches), iPhone 12 (6.1 inches), iPhone 12 Pro (6.1 inches), and iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7 inches). The starting price of these phones is $699, $799, $999 and $1099 respectively.
