Apple Reportedly Set to Roll Out iPhone 5G Support in India in December [Updated]

Tuesday October 11, 2022 4:44 am PDT by Sami Fathi

Apple will add support for 5G on compatible iPhones for Indian carriers through a software update as soon as December, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to ET News.

iphone 12 5g
According to the publication, Apple and the Indian carrier Airtel will meet this week to discuss why Apple's iPhones are not compatible with India's 5G networks. Apple is reportedly already testing 5G support on iPhones in Mumbai and New Delhi, with an update officially adding support possibly being rolled out in December, the report said, citing a source.

A separate report from Reuters says the Indian government is placing pressure on Apple and Samsung to adopt 5G support for their latest smartphones. Apple first added support for 5G with the iPhone 12 in 2020, and two years later, Indian ‌iPhone‌ customers are still unable to use the newer and faster network. On Wednesday, the Indian government, alongside executives from Apple, Samsung, and leading carriers in the country, will meet "to prioritize" adding support for 5G on the latest smartphones.

Update: In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple has confirmed it will release a software update in December to add support for 5G on compatible iPhones for Indian carriers.

We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance are completed. 5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December.

Tags: 5G, India

Popular Stories

What's Coming in the M5 MacBook Air

Thursday February 26, 2026 3:57 pm PST by Juli Clover

Along with the low-cost MacBook, Apple could introduce a refreshed version of the MacBook Air next week. Most of the focus will be on the new machine, but the MacBook Air is expected to get some useful internal updates. M5 Chip The next-generation MacBook Air will adopt the M5 chip, which Apple already introduced in the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models that came out last year. Apple's M5...

• 123 comments

Could Apple's OLED iPad Mini Finally Be a Kindle Killer?

Friday February 27, 2026 12:08 pm PST by Hartley Charlton

With a similar screen size and easy, one-handed grip, the iPad mini has always been the Apple device that overlaps most with dedicated e-readers. Now, amid rumors pointing to an OLED display for the next generation, could the iPad mini finally replace devices such as the Kindle and Kobo? The shift from LCD to OLED could make the iPad mini far more appealing as a reading device. OLED panels...

• 149 comments

Apple Announces Special Event in New York Feature 1

Apple Teases 'A Big Week Ahead' With Announcements Starting Monday

Thursday February 26, 2026 6:06 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple CEO Tim Cook today teased "a big week ahead," with announcements starting Monday. His post included an #AppleLaunch hashtag with a colorful Apple logo, along with a short video that ultimately shows an Apple logo on the lid of a Mac. Apple is reportedly planning a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4, with up to five new products...

• 135 comments

Top Rated Comments

AMagicianNamedJOBs

44 months ago

They’re not missing much. 5G was completely overhyped, the leap from 3G to 4G brought the real mobile revolution IMO.

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

CarAnalogy

44 months ago

“Apple and the Indian carrier Airtel will meet this week to discuss why Apple's iPhones are not compatible with India's 5G networks.”

Simple, it’s not supported because of a conditional statement in the code. 😉

Yeah I don’t understand why they are meeting like they are trying to solve a mystery. The network operator in question is not certified in iOS, just like Google Fi. End of story. As for why, it’s usually a business decision not to pay Apple to certify it, which is why Google Fi is not certified.

So as usual the answer to just about everything that doesn’t make sense is “money.”

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Kottu

44 months ago

In certain places within city limits I get 5G in my 12PM since last year in Sweden. Speed varies between 60 mbps to 1600 mbps. But is it gonna be a revolution for most of us? I am satisfied with 4G in my mobile as I don't play games with need of low latency. At home I have fiber. I can understand the need of 5G for people who don't/can't have fiber at home and need a faster connection.

Apple knew that India is rolling out 5G in October. So, they should have prepared to support their customers at once. Especially when low priced Chinese phones support 5G from the day one!
In India 4G speeds are low so 5G will make things much easier as it can accommodate more connections than 4G. For many in India mobile is their modem, router etc..

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

AppleTO

44 months ago

“Apple and the Indian carrier Airtel will meet this week to discuss why Apple's iPhones are not compatible with India's 5G networks.”

Simple, it’s not supported because of a conditional statement in the code. 😉

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Nomax2000

44 months ago

„Apple first added support for 5G with the iPhone 12 in 2020, and two years later, Indian iPhone customers are still unable to use the newer and faster network.“

Aha…

https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/india-mobile-congress-5g-live-updates-pm-modi-to-launch-5g-services-today-8183734/lite/

11 days ago.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)