iPhones sold in the United States have 5G NR mmWave, a technology that allows for extremely fast download speeds and reduced latency, by using higher frequencies than traditional 5G networks, which significantly improves performance in dense urban areas. This technology, which exists in the United States (but has not yet been deployed in France), may no longer be accessible with Apple’s first 5G modem. A weak point that will delight the competition, which will gain an advantage in 5G speeds!
Bad news for the first generation of 5G modems
Apple has been working for several years to develop its own 5G modem, the company aims to gradually replace the modems currently supplied by Qualcomm since the appearance of 5G on iPhones. Since 2018, the Cupertino company has been doing everything it can to offer an alternative as efficient and reliable as that of its current supplier. However, the process is long, partly because of Apple’s high quality requirements. For now, the company has extended its partnership with Qualcomm until 2026, which allows it to take its time to refine its own modem.
A recent report by Digitimes revealed that the first version of Apple’s 5G modem may not support mmWave technology. This absence is likely to cause a stir in the United States, where many cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, and San Francisco already have multiple mmWave-compatible 5G antennas, offering ultra-fast connection speeds. 5G mmWave is particularly suited to dense urban areas thanks to its high performance over short distances. However, in rural areas, this technology is almost non-existent, as it does not offer any advantage for the subscriber experience in these regions.
On the other hand, for France, this limitation of Apple’s modem should not have an impact, since French operators have not yet deployed mmWave technology on their networks.
In terms of predictions that have been posted online in recent months, Ming-Chi Kuo anticipates the release of two iPhone models equipped with Apple’s 5G modem by 2025. An iPhone SE is expected in the first quarter, while an ultra-thin iPhone 17 should see the light of day in the third quarter of the same year. These two devices will be the first to integrate this new technology, but it remains to be seen whether Apple will be able to improve mmWave support in future versions of its modem.
