iOS 16.4: the final version will be released this month according to an operator, who evokes faster 5G

Apple has already offered two betas for iOS 16.4 on iPhone, with the second arriving this week. One of the new features is support for 5G Standalone (SA) and a Brazilian operator is talking today about support for the next few weeks.

Image 9to5Mac

iOS 16.4 is coming soon

Here is the statement of the Brazilian operator Claro made to MacMagazine :

Claro informs that 5G Standalone (SA) will be available on all iPhones compatible with the technology, starting from the launch of the final version of iOS 16.4, which will take place in March of this year. The company points out that, since the launch of Claro 5G+, in July 2022, the operator already offers access to 5G SA on all smartphones on the market that have the technology, such as the Samsung Galaxy S23, the Moto edge 30 Pro 5G, among others.

Claro said it is working with Apple to ensure that 5G Standalone will work well on iPhones. As it stands, the option is already activated with beta 2 of iOS 16.4 at T-Mobile in the United States, and at Vivo and TIM Brasil in Brazil.

What is this technology? You should know that there is the 5G Standalone and the Non-Standalone version. We currently have the Non-Standalone version which relies on the 4G network. This system made it possible to have “good” 5G coverage quite quickly and slightly higher speeds. With the Standalone version, we no longer rely on 4G networks. We are still increasing the level of speeds, but this makes the deployment of the new network a little more complex.

In theory, all 5G-enabled iPhones should support the Standalone version. But for the moment, the beta of iOS 16.4 only offers the option on the iPhone 14.

What about France? Operators Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile will offer 5G Standalone on their networks, but it will take some time. It should start sometime in 2023, but there is no specific date.