Apple finally embraces 5G, but challenges remain

Apple has integrated 5G into all four newly announced iPhones, says IDTechEx. In the launching event, Apple demonstrated a fast speed up to 4 Gbps on the iPhone 12 Pro, even when networks are crowded. The news certainly sends a positive signal to the 5G industry, but many challenges await before 5G becomes ubiquitous.

The new iPhones feature the most 5G bands on any smartphone and offer the broadest 5G coverage worldwide. This is an impressive achievement for smartphone design and would be extremely useful for global travelers. However, the majority will stick to a few 5G bands only. Moreover, the 5G coverage is still so low that many people are not able to use the 5G service often. The industry hopes that the fast wave of 5G smartphones will encourage the demand for 5G services and accelerate the deployment of 5G base stations in the coming years.

With profitable business models and killer applications starting to emerge, 5G is expected to be one of the largest and fastest-growing markets. The entrance of Apple into the 5G competition will for sure boost the investment from telecoms and encourage faster adoption of new materials and technologies to tackle the remaining challenges.
CT Bureau