Only High-End 6.7-Inch iPhone 12 Pro Max Said to Get mmWave 5G

Apple is set to introduce 5G technology in its 2020 iPhone lineup, but there are two kinds of 5G -- mmWave, which is the fastest, and sub-6GHz, which is slower but more widespread -- and there is mixed information on the spectrums the 2020 iPhones will support.

iPhone 12 5G New Teal
The fastest mmWave 5G could be limited to Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro lineup, and a new report from 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.

A source that spoke to Fast Company said that only the largest ‌iPhone‌ in the lineup has the space inside to accommodate the antenna design needed to implement mmWave support, along with the larger battery needed for its battery drain.

Further, Fast Company believes that the ‌iPhone 12 Pro Max‌ will support mmWave only in versions of the new ‌iPhone‌ sold in the United States, Korea, and Japan as some countries don't have well-established mmWave networks at this time.

mmWave is the fastest version of 5G, offering up speeds of up to 1Gb/s. but it is limited in scope because it has a short range that's only suitable for more urban areas because of the cost of deployment.

Sub-6Ghz is faster than the average 4G LTE connection, but slower than mmWave 5G. It has a much longer range, however, making it suitable for use in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike, and it is expected to be the more widely available version of 5G.

There have been a few rumors lately that have indicated Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup will have a staggered launch, with the more affordable ‌iPhone‌ 12 models coming out before the more expensive ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro models.

There have also been suggestions that the mmWave 5G iPhones could be delayed because of production issues, which matches up with rumors that it's the Pro models that support mmWave while the lower-end iPhones stick to sub-6GHz.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
tvOS 18 Feature

Apple Releases tvOS 18.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.5, the latest version of the tvOS operating system. tvOS 18.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.5 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software. ‌Apple TV‌ owners who have...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

WSJ: Apple Weighing Price Hikes for iPhone 17 Lineup Without Blaming Tariffs

Monday May 12, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
Apple is considering raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 models set to release this fall, according to people familiar with the matter cited by The Wall Street Journal. The company reportedly aims to pair the potential price hikes with new features and design changes to justify the increased cost to consumers, rather than attributing them to U.S. tariffs on goods from China. The...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.5

Monday May 12, 2025 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.5, the fifth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.5 comes a little over a month after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.5‌‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Expected This Week With These New Features

Monday May 12, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple is expected to release iOS 18.5 to the general public this week. While the software update is relatively minor, it still includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones. Below, we recap everything new in iOS 18.5. Pride Wallpaper Apple recently announced its 2025 Pride Collection, including a new Apple Watch band, watch face,...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

20th Anniversary iPhone Will Be Mostly Glass With All-Screen Design

Monday May 12, 2025 2:52 am PDT by
Apple will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone X in 2027 by launching a mostly glass, curved iPhone without any cutouts in the display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the all-screen device will arrive later in 2027, suggesting a fall release. The model will be preceded by Apple's first foldable iPhone, claims the reporter....

Top Rated Comments

SDJim Avatar
61 months ago
Honestly, I do not care at all about this feature.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Braderunner Avatar
61 months ago
Sooo stupid, if true. A lot of people will have to decide if they are willing to put up with a phablet, to have this feature.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sinequanon83 Avatar
61 months ago
So, literally no iphone that's ever been made has had this feature. Is your phone not fast enough now? Why does anyone care about this?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MattMJB0188 Avatar
61 months ago
Miss the days when there was one size and one phone.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
61 months ago
That's fine, it only works in dozens of places.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFan91 Avatar
61 months ago

Does anyone even care about this 5G?
I believe Kuo reported this few months back.
I certainly do. I live in a city that Verizon has had MMwave in for well over a year and it’s all over. I get that it’s sparse for most but I would welcome it personally
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)