Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Apple: 5G just got real

Apple unveiled its new line-up of iPhones, which add 5G connectivity, along with a faster A14 Bionic chip with 11.8 billion transistors built on 5nm silicon, tougher screen glass, better cameras, and a new design.  

Apple has conducted 5G testing with 100 carriers in 30 regions, with peak download speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in ideal conditions.

Apple claims the new iPhones will cover more 5G bands than any other smartphone on the market. These include:

  • 5G NR (Bands n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n38, n40, n41, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79)
  • 5G NR mmWave (Bands n260, n261)

The new iPhones can access Verizon's mmWave and have achieved over 4.0 Gbps peak download speeds in ideal conditions and with uploads rated at up to 200 Mbps in ideal conditions. 

Apple is also supporting a new Smart Data Mode. When the iPhone does not need 5G, it automatically drops back to LTE.

Connectivity also includes: 

  • Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO and LAA4
  • Wi‑Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
  • Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness5
  • NFC with reader mode