Why 5G will not be usable at all in 2021
Apple was unstoppable during the presentation of the iPhone 12 series: the new smartphones all had 5G. In retrospect, that enthusiasm was a bit exaggerated. 5G will not be usable at all in 2021.
Read on after the ad.
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In 2021, 5G will not help you much
When Apple announced the iPhone 12 models in October 2020, it took a long time to consider the addition of 5G. That in itself is not surprising. They are the first iPhones that can handle the new mobile network and many people have been looking forward to this for a long time. Many Android smartphones from the higher segment already had 5G.
The problem is, the Dutch 5G network is still in its infancy. In 2021, you surf with 5G at most ten percent faster than with 4G. That is not a difference that you will notice a lot in practice. Currently, 5G is more of a marketing term than a useful feature. The network will only really get faster next year.
The iPhone 12 series does not offer a full 5G experience
Now you may think: 5G may not mean much in 2021, but many people will spend three years or even longer with their new iPhone. Then it is useful that he is already prepared for the future? That is only partly correct. The iPhone 12 models in the Netherlands have a modem that can only work with the so-called Sub-6 GHz 5G. That’s the version that is only marginally faster than 4G. However, this network also offers good coverage at great distances from transmission towers.
For 5G that is significantly faster than 4G, you need an mmWave modem. Unfortunately, only the US version of the iPhone 12 has such a modem. Even if ‘our’ 5G network soon gets going, you will not achieve higher download speeds with the Dutch iPhone 12 than is currently the case.
When is 5G really useful?
In 2022, the so-called 3.5 GHz frequency band, which is required for mmWave 5G, will be activated. Especially in large cities, we will see a significant leap in speed, provided you have a suitable smartphone. Fortunately, the iPhone 13 will probably get a modem that can also work with all variants of 5G in the Netherlands. Anyone who buys such an iPhone 13 this fall will probably be able to use the internet super fast in the course of next year.
Apple announced the iPhone 12 with the advertising slogan ‘5G just got real’, or: ‘Now 5G is real’. That was certainly a bit misleading for Dutch users. ‘Real’ 5G is coming, but in 2021 we need another year of patience. And a new iPhone.
