iPhone 13: ultra-fast 5G is reserved for the United States

The iPhone 13 which will be marketed in France are not compatible with 5G millimeter. According to Apple, all iPhones sold outside the United States will have to be content with 5G below 6 GHz, which is slower than 5G mmWave. So what ?

Like the iPhone 12s before them, the iPhone 13s are compatible with 5G. Thanks to Snapdragon X60 modem that accompanies the A15 Bionic SoC, all models in the range can connect to 5G networks. But unlike last year, Apple did not expand on 5G compatibility during the keynote.

Last year, only the iPhone 12 sold on US soil were compatible with the fastest 5G, namely the 5G millimeter (mmWave). Models sold outside the United States had to be content with a slower 5G connection, 5G below 6 GHz.

No millimeter 5G on the iPhone 13 in France

This is also the case with the iPhone 13, Apple announces on its website. The support page dedicated to cellphone compatibility for the new iPhones shows that only models sold in the United States will be able to connect to millimeter 5G. 5G mmWave offers higher speeds than 5G below 6 GHz but its range is less extensive. According to an Ariase study, millimeter 5G offers performance similar to that of fiber.

In most European countries, including France, operators have concentrated on 5G Sub-6GHz anyway. This version of 5G offers a lower flow but a more extended range than 5G mmWave. It is based on frequencies similar to those of 4G, ie located below 6 GHz frequencies. The flow rates are lower but the connection is more stable, especially in buildings with thick walls.

The latest news is that millimetric 5G should not deploy in Europe only in 2023. In France, frequency allocations for 5G mmWave will not take place before the 2022 presidential election. The French government will let the next president organize the allocations. De facto, the absence of 5G millimeter on the French iPhone 13 is far from problematic.