We’ve come a long way since operating 3G and 4G mobile networks. While the 4G network is readily available throughout the country, 5G networks have started to be rolled out in select cities.
A widespread notion that many people might have is that the 5G network will make many devices outdated, and they wouldn’t be 5G compatible- especially when it comes to iPhones. Questions like “which iPhones are 5G capable” or “which iPhones are 5G compatible” are now popping up on the internet. Although the latest iPhone models come pre-optimized with a 5G network, there are some pre-existing iPhone models that may not be optimised to run 5G.
In 2022, Apple declared that they would give a list of the Apple iPhones that will receive 5G mobile updates before 2023. This new iOS update will allow the existing iPhone models to work on the 5G network. Apple updated that they are working with several network carrier partners in India to provide the 5G experience.
In this article, we’ll look at the iPhone models eligible for this system update, the highest speed these models can achieve and examples of some other models with 5G. Let’s get started!
Here is a comprehensive list of all the iPhone models that come 5G ready:
iPhone model |
Network type
|
iPhone 14 |
5G enabled |
iPhone 14 Plus |
5G enabled |
iPhone 14 Pro Plus |
5G enabled |
iPhone SE (2022) |
5G enabled |
iPhone 13 |
5G enabled |
iPhone 13 Mini |
5G enabled |
iPhone 13 Pro |
5G enabled |
iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Mini |
5G enabled 5G enabled |
iPhone 12 Pro |
5G enabled |
iPhone 12 Pro Max |
5G enabled |
iPhone 11 |
4G enabled, No 5G |
iPhone 11 pro |
4G enabled, No 5G |
iPhone 11Pro Max |
4G enabled, No 5G |
We’ll go over the highest speed attained by different iPhone models in the table and the following sections below:
iPhone model |
Maximum speed offered |
iPhone 14 |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 14 Plus |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 14 Pro Max |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone SE (2022) |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 13 |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 13 Mini |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 13 Pro |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 12 |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 13 Pro Max |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 12 Pro |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 12 Pro Max |
5G, Max speed: 4Gbps |
iPhone 11 |
Cat-16 LTE network Max speed is1000 Mbit/s |
iPhone 11 pro |
Cat-19 LTE network Max speed is1600 Mbit/s |
iPhone 11Pro Max |
Cat-19 LTE network Max speed is1600 Mbit/s |
iPhone SE 2020 model |
Cat-16 LTE network Max speed is1000 Mbit/s |
iPhone XS / XS Max |
Cat-16 LTE network Max speed is1000 Mbit/s |
iPhone X / XR |
Cat 12 LTE Max speeds 600 Mbit/s |
iPhone 8 / 8 Plus |
Cat 12 LTE Max speeds 600 Mbit/s |
iPhone 8 Plus |
Cat 12 LTE Max speeds 600 Mbit/s |
iPhone 7 |
Cat 9 LTE Max speeds 450 Mbit/s |
iPhone 7 Plus |
Cat 9 LTE Max speeds 450 Mbit/s |
Now that you’ve taken a quick look at the maximum speed that the various iPhone models offer, let’s go over the basic rate of different iPhone models.
The iPhone 12 supports 5G, while their models can reach download speeds up to 4 Mbps worldwide. While the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 can tap into 5G speeds, the 5G network has only been rolled out in certain parts of the country.
Apple came up with the iPhone SE (2022), which offered a slightly slow 5G network range. It features “5G cellular” connectivity and 2*2 MIMO.
As for the older models, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 don't support a 5G connection. However, Apple declared that the older models support fast forms of 4G through LTE technology.
To conclude, most of the global speeds offered by various mobile brands are much lower than the average speed offered by the iPhone Models. In addition, the 5G network is still being worked on for more improvisations. As the 5G network becomes more optimised and the network gets more spectrum, you can expect it to run much faster than its current speed.
Therefore, if you want to get your hands on one of the speediest phones, then consider buying iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro Max,iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Apple released their 5G lineup of phones with the iPhone 12 in late 2020. The company has always been known to wait and release new technology when it reaches a more mature state after initial testing periods. iPhones are known to implement the newest design standards but take their time to integrate third-party technologies because they want to focus on quality.
The 3G network in the global phone market launched in 2002 and 2003. However, Apple released their first ever iPhone with 3G networks in 2007. The iPhone 3G debuted in 2008 when the 3G network was already well established. The iPhone 5 with 4G connectivity was introduced in the consumer market in 2012. Users have already experienced 4G supporting Android phones for two years before.
The iPhone XS with CAT 16 Gigabyte LTE support came a good year and a half after Samsung introduced it in their Galaxy S8. Apple spent most of 2018 and 2019 doing legal tussles with Qualcomm, which further reduced their production speed. The recent coronavirus pandemic is adding to this delay.
While only the iPhone 14 range, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 13 range and iPhone 12 range support 5G, there are a whole lot of 5G Android phones, with more hitting the market soon.
These include the Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21, Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, OnePlus 10 Pro, OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus Nord 2, Huawei Mate 40 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11, Google Pixel 6, Sony Xperia 1 III, Sony Xperia 5 III, Motorola Edge 20 Pro, Moto G 5G Plus, Oppo Find X5, Oppo Find X5 Pro, and many others – including some older, lower end and more niche handsets than the examples listed.
Most mid-range and high-end Android phones now launch with 5G support. Thus, its only a matter of time before 5G support becomes a standard feature on the latest Android handsets.
If you have a function in a high-paced work environment that requires a very fast internet connection, then you should opt for 5G-optimised iPhones. You might think that the place you live in does not feature 5G connectivity yet. But in the future, the 5G network is projected to spread very rapidly in the country. Therefore, getting a 5G network-enabled iPhone can give you the edge if you’re always on the go.
There are countless variants of models and colours to choose from when it comes to 5G network-enabled iPhones.Therefore, consider getting an iPhone to be ahead in terms of technology.
No, the iPhone 10 model does not come with 5G support. However, it supports the LTE framework.