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Apple Will Wait Until at Least 2020 To Release a 5G iPhone: Report (bloomberg.com)

Posted by msmash on from the wait-and-watch dept.

Apple plans to hold off until at least 2020 before offering an iPhone that can connect to the next generation of high-speed phone services coming next year, Bloomberg reported Monday. From the report: The delay may make it easier for rivals like Samsung Electronics to win over consumers to phones that connect to 5G networks, which will provide a leap forward in mobile data speeds when they are introduced in 2019. As with 3G and 4G, the two previous generations of mobile technology, Apple will wait as long as a year after the initial deployment of the new networks before its main product gets the capability to access them, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the company's plans.

Apple's previous calculations -- proven correct -- were that the new networks and the first versions of rival smartphones would come with problems such as spotty coverage, making consumers less compelled to immediately make the jump. This time, 5G boosters argue the switch is a much bigger speed upgrade, making Apple's decision to wait riskier. The networks will open the floodgates to new types of mobile computing, 5G advocates say.

6 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Am I the only one... by Kokuyo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...who needs better reception far more than better throughput? I can live comfortably with 4G if it actually performs as it should.

    1. Re:Am I the only one... by friedmud · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I find it hard to care at all... and I'm a heavy data user.

      For me, mobile data speeds are MORE than good enough. I can stream high-quality TV, I can stream music I can browse the web as fast as I can on my wifi at home. What more is there to want on a phone?

      Now - 5G is interesting for _other_ mobile data uses (like laptop connections). But I seriously couldn't care less less about 5G on my phone.

      Even at home I'm struggling to find the need for more bandwidth from my internet service provider. I have 200Mbps... but they offer 1Gbps. Even with two 4k TVs constantly streaming (although not always constantly streaming 4k) I fail to find any fault in 200Mbps. Also, my fiance and I both work at home and I do a lot of data movement for my job - but 200Mbps is STILL tons.

      Last month at my house we pulled down around 1.3TB of data (40GB a day)... but I still don't see a need for more than 200Mbps.

      So if that's good enough at my house... what in the hell do I need 5G for on my phone?

  2. Re:4G has gotten worse by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think it is just we have a bigger data requirement.
    The early G4 Phones mostly had screens that were smaller, and with bigger pixels, and slower processors. Sites at the time who mode data for these phones, factored in such limitations. So they downloaded smaller pictures, and downloaded smaller data sets because their processors would take too long to render. Now the phones are expected to be hooked by Wi-Fi and will download a lot more data.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  3. Re:5G rollout will take years by DCFusor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It will be NEVER for some value of never where I live. You'd need a tower per homestead. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone.

    --
    Why guess when you can know? Measure!
  4. Re:4G has gotten worse by XXongo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think it is just we have a bigger data requirement.

    ^^^
    this.

    It's Parkinson's law: data requirements expand to fill the bandwidth available.
    Whether or not there's any reason you need more data.

  5. Re:5G rollout will take years by Dog-Cow · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm pretty sure you are alone, else you wouldn't need your own tower!