iPhones in India will get 5G in December, says Apple
Indian iPhone users' wait for 5G connectivity will not end anytime soon. Apple said the software update required to activate 5G on iPhones in India will be rolled out in December. The company is currently testing iPhones with 5G capability on Airtel and Reliance Jio's networks. Only these two telcos have gone live with 5G services in the country.
Why does this story matter?
India is 5G ready, but there are still several smartphones in the country that are yet to support 5G. These phones need an OTA update to make them 5G compatible. Without phones that support 5G, being a 5G-ready country is pointless. It is surprising, at the very least, that Apple would need another two months to make iPhones support 5G connectivity.
Apple has to update the phones for 5G connectivity
Most of the high-end iPhones support 5G connectivity. However, for that to be active, Apple has to enable it. Apple told Economic Times, "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." It will be enabled via a software update in December.
Apple is now testing 5G on compatible iPhones
Apple is currently testing 5G-compatible iPhones in India. The phones include the iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series, iPhone 14 series, and iPhone SE (2022). The company will update these handsets with 5G connectivity once it is satisfied that the end user will have no issues. Apple is testing its phones on both Airtel and Reliance Jio's networks.
Even OnePlus and Samsung have not updated their 5G-compatible smartphones
iPhones are not the only 5G-capable phones without the necessary software update. While compatible Realme, Xiaomi, Vivo, and OPPO phones received 5G updates, there are other companies that are yet to update some models. OnePlus hasn't updated the OnePlus 8 series, 9R, and Nord 2. Samsung too is yet to update many of its 5G-compatible smartphones in India.
