Apple Reportedly Planning Substantial Increase of Shipments for 5G mmWave iPhone Models in 2021

Apple is expected to substantially increase shipments of mmWave enabled iPhone models in 2021 thanks to the increased demand and improved global support for the newer technology, according to DigiTimes.

Screen Shot 4
Apple currently only offers mmWave-enabled ‌iPhone‌ 12 models in the United States and is likely to hold off on offering the option to more countries until the technology is more widely available. According to DigiTimes, that wider availability will take place this year, and as a result, Apple is set to increase shipments of mmWave iPhones.

Apple is expected to boost its 5G mmWave smartphone shipment goal for 2021 as the global economy is on track for stable recovery, and its demand for AiP modules supporting mmWave iPhones will grow remarkably this year, the sources said.

In 2020, Apple lowered its 5G mmWave iPhone shipment projections as construction of the corresponding infrastructure in the US and Europe was severely dragged down by the pandemic.

The ‌iPhone‌ 12 was the first ‌iPhone‌ to feature 5G connectivity. 5G connection includes two types of networks, mmWave, which is considered to be the next widely adopted standard that offers super-fast speeds, and a 6GHz connection that is currently the conventional option worldwide. mmWave networks work through higher frequency radio bands that can range from 24Ghz to as high as 40Ghz.

Due to their increased frequency, mmWave is extremely limited in range and requires more advanced and expensive infrastructure compared to 6GHz. Cities and countries around the world are still very much in the early stages of adopting mmWave technology. Even in cities where mmWave technology is present, real-world 5G speeds can differ greatly depending on your proximity to the mmWave tower and the device you're using.

When we tested Verizon's mmWave network with a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G smartphone in Chicago in mid-2019, we reached speeds as high as almost 2GBs. Still, we found that speeds vary drastically depending on your location and other factors. You can checkout our full mmWave vs. sub-6GHz guide for more information and insight.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...

Top Rated Comments

Michael Scrip Avatar
58 months ago
mmWave... providing super-fast internet to street corners and sidewalks!

?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
58 months ago
I bought the iPhone 12 Pro right when it came out and love it!

I live in the Boston area and the 5G here is extremely fast
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0924487 Avatar
58 months ago

mmWave... providing super-fast internet to street corners and sidewalks!

?
Seriously, if we need more 5G towers than wifi routers, why don't we just litter the city with wifi access points? In Shanghai, they have "i-Shanghai", which is a wifi SSID you can connect to for free everywhere in the city. That's better than 5G for mobile phones.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeoStructural Avatar
58 months ago

Honestly, isn’t there a way to completely disable that antenna? It’s responsible for phone overheating and overconsumption, and I just don’t feel comfortable with that technology, which is expensive and completely useless.

Please Apple make mmwave optional.
I have a similar problem, my phone keeps switching between antennas and that is not “seamless” as Apple describes it, I just lose reception for a while. I have tried putting it back to LTE and it has solved the issue, but then I have to go to settings every time I would like to use 5G. Annoying.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ksec Avatar
58 months ago

In Canada we don’t have mmW deployments and our iPhones do not have the radio transparency window opposite the SIM card slot.

I wonder how many other countries are also ignoring that technology and getting similar iPhones. I wonder if any anyone has bargained for a better price on the iPhones that are missing the radio!
They are not really ignoring, so to speak. Is just that most of them had trials and there is nothing that shows a decent cost / benefits ratio. So as far as I am aware most of the major carriers around the world dont plan to have them implemented. The keyword here is "plan". i.e If you have a plan *now*, it would still take 3-4 years for national roll out. If they dont even have a plan, well god knows if it will ever be out.

It is the same thing with small cells ( or now called nano cells or whatever the marketing decide to call it ). It is great in theory but in reality the business model doesn't really work.

That was the last update in 2019 when I looked at multiple carrier 5G deployment for something up to 2023. I dont know if there are changes in plan but I seriously doubt it.

Although Apple's support of mmWave doesn't just have to be 5G. It could be for other usage as well such as 802.11ay. Allowing 10Gbps *real world* transfer between line of sight. You could have iPhone transferring to another iPhone upgrade happening in minutes or seconds.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jasonefmonk Avatar
58 months ago
In Canada we don’t have mmW deployments and our iPhones do not have the radio transparency window opposite the SIM card slot.

I wonder how many other countries are also ignoring that technology and getting similar iPhones. I wonder if any anyone has bargained for a better price on the iPhones that are missing the radio!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)