Faster mmWave 5G Still Limited to U.S. iPhone 16 Models
Apple today introduced the new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, but the update has not expanded mmWave 5G to countries outside of the United States. All four iPhone 16 models offer mmWave 5G in the U.S., but other countries are still limited to sub-6GHz 5G.
mmWave 5G has been a United States exclusive since 5G technology first debuted in the iPhone 12 as an upgrade for LTE. Apple hasn't rolled out mmWave 5G in other countries because other countries largely have yet to widely adopt the faster speeds. There are mmWave networks in countries like Australia, China, and Japan, but it is not a standard that has been fully embraced. In Australia, for example, mmWave is only available in select areas of major cities like Melbourne and Sydney.
While mmWave technology offers the fastest 5G speeds, it is limited to urban areas due to its short range and inability to penetrate obstacles. Sub-6GHz 5G is much more widespread, even in the United States, because it can also be used in rural and suburban areas.
It is worth noting that Apple replaced the mmWave antenna on the iPhone 16 models in the United States with the Camera Control button. There is no obvious mmWave cutout anymore, with the antenna instead built into the iPhone's frame.
Other countries do not have a mmWave antenna at all, and instead have a physical SIM slot, a feature that no longer exists in the U.S.
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