Well-connected Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is planning to increase the availability of 5G mmWave-capable iPhones to more countries, alongside the release of its upcoming “iPhone 13” later this year. The move will provide more consumers access to the faster connection technology.
In a research note obtained and shared by MacRumors, Kuo says the mmWave infrastructure around the globe will increase considerably in many areas of the world, including in Australia, Canada, Japan, and numerous European countries.
While 5G smartphone shipments increased significantly in 2020, most of them only supported Sub-6 GHz. We believe that mmWave will create more diverse applications than Sub-6 GHz because of the benefits of faster speed and lower latency. The mmWave model of the iPhone 12 only supports the US market, and the shipment allocation of the total iPhone 12 is about 30–35%. We predict that the iPhone 13 mmWave models will be available in more countries (e.g., Canada, Japan, Australia, and major European mobile operators), so the shipment allocation of iPhone 13 mmWave models will increase substantially to 55–60%.
Analyst Kuo says that this year, mmWave capable iPhone 13 models will allocate to 55-60% of shipments, a significant year-over-year increase. mmWave iPhone 12 models feature a visible antenna on the right side of the device. Kuo expects the same antenna design to continue with the 2021 iPhone lineup.
mmWave offers faster speeds when compared to the standard and more mainstream sub-6GHz technology, but mmWave requires more advanced infrastructure and only works in a limited range.
