While Apple’s next-gen iPhone is widely expected to feature support for 4G LTE data, A new article posted this evening from The Wall Street Journal claims that the device will support LTE networks around the world, unlike the 3rd-gen iPad which mostly only supports U.S. LTE frequencies.
Apple Inc.’s next iPhone will work on the fastest wireless networks around the world—including in the U.S., Europe and Asia—though it is unlikely to be available on every carrier, people familiar with the matter said.
The technical compatibility with so-called LTE networks removes a big competitive danger for Apple and gives carriers a chance to sell their fastest data services to Apple’s huge base of iPhone customers.
While the iPhone 5 is expected to have global LTE coverage, it may not support LTE on all carriers. Even so, the expanded LTE support should come as excellent news to many users abroad who otherwise wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the increased speeds that LTE offers.
The new iPhone will be announced next wednesday in a media event in San Francisco, and is expected to feature a taller 4-inch screen, thinner design, and a two-tone metal rear casing, as well as a smaller dock connector, relocated FaceTime camera, and new smaller nano-SIM.
Check out our iPhone 5 rumor roundup for the full scoop on what to expect from Apple’s new iPhone!
