iPhone 12 Pro Max is the PERFECT future-proof smartphone – here's why

(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone)

published 6 September 2020

With the launch of the iPhone 12 expected to happen towards the end of this month, all eyes are focused on what the next iteration has to offer – and specifically whether this will be the first range of iPhones to support the next-gen 5G networks that have been popping up across the planet.

All rumours suggest that the iPhone 12 will come with 5G support, but a recent report claims that not all 5G iPhone will be created equally.

That’s according to a source speaking to Fast Company, who claims that only a single iPhone 12 model will offer support for the high-bandwidth millimeter-wave 5G. Apparently the rest will only support for Sub-6 type 5G, which has lower bandwidth and thus slower overall speeds.

It’s been described as more akin to a faster 4G network than the 'true' 5G networking offered by millimeter wave; that being said, US carrier Sprint promises its mid-band 5G network will be six times faster than current LTE speeds, while UK network EE promises 5G speeds between 100 and 150Mbp – neither of those are what we’d really call slow.

Sub-6 5G also happens to be more widespread and accessible, so regardless of individual device support, that’s the frequency that’ll be getting the most use.

It's likely that the handset with millimeter-wave 5G support is going to be the top-tier iPhone 12 Pro Max, as it's the only one with enough space for the antenna needed to connect to millimeter-wave networks, as well as the larger battery that can offset the increased power drain.

But even then not all Pro Max models will be exactly the same, with the source claiming that only US, Korean, and Japanese models will support millimeter wave 5G.

Of course if you live in an area without any 5G coverage there’s some hope for you thanks to the cheaper 4G iPhone 12 that's been rumoured, but it won't come with any of the fancy extras we expect from the iPhone 12 Pro range.

Source: Fast Company