5G update on iPhones coming in December, Apple confirms

Apple to release the 5G update for supported iPhones in India by December 2022, confirms the company.

iPhones in India will be able to run 5G from December 2022. (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

It was already in rumours and now, it is official. The iPhone will be able to run 5G internet starting December 2022 on both Airtel and Jio networks. Apple has confirmed the timeline with an Indian publication, confirming that it is yet to complete testing and validation of the 5G networks on their range of 5G smartphones, which includes the entry-level iPhone SE 3rd Gen as well as the new iPhone 14 Pro Max.

In a statement to ET Telecom, Apple said, "We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed. 5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December.”

5G on iPhones by December

Note that the current testing for the iPhones is being carried out for Jio and Airtel, the only two networks that support 5G speeds. Once Vodafone Idea readies its 5G services, Apple will need to conduct testing on its iPhones again for better compatibility with its 5G services. On the contrary, several Android brands have already enabled 5G support on their handsets, even on affordable smartphones.

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Currently, users of the following iPhone models will be able to achieve the faster 5G speeds once Apple rolls out the update:

- iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

- iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max

- iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max

- iPhone SE 3rd Gen

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Once enabled though, the Indian iPhones will be able to support both SA and NSA flavours of 5G connectivity. Airtel is relying on a Non-Standalone 5G, wherein it relies on its existing 4G LTE network architecture to offer faster speeds while ensuring better reach and coverage. Jio, on the other hand, is coming up with a Standalone 5G network, which promises faster download speeds as well as lower latency.

In the early test network speeds, Jio's 5G SA network is able to achieve much faster download speeds across most of the cities. Airtel's NSA 5G is much behind but it is expected to expand 5G services across the country easily.