Apple highlighted 5G support in the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro when it announced the new devices. He even redesigned the device inside to make room for 5G components. However, using 5G on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is not that easy, and there are a lot of things you need to know.
Don't be fooled by the 5G icon displayed in your iPhone 12's status bar as it doesn't give the true picture as it doesn't mean your iPhone is actually connected to a 5G network. And even when you're on a 5G network, there's no need for your iPhone to take advantage of the faster download speeds it offers. Below is everything you need to know about using 5G on your iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, or iPhone 12 Pro.
Tips for Using 5G Properly on iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro
Get a 5G SIM
Just like you needed to get a new SIM when 4G networks first came out, you'll need a new 5G SIM. This will depend on your carrier, as many carriers have been offering 5G compatible SIM cards to their customers for quite some time now.
MmWave 5G support in US only
Apple really increased 5G support on the iPhone 12 series when it introduced the devices last month. However, only US versions of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro series support mmWave 5G, and the rest of the devices only support sub-6GHz 5G. This means the amazing gigabit+ speeds over 5G will only be possible on US variants of the iPhone 12. While sub-6GHz variants of the iPhone 12 will also offer higher mobile data speeds than 4G networks, speeds will still be slower than mmWave 5G.
Various 5G icons
Depending on the network, your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro will display the following 5G icons: 5G, 5G+, and 5G UW. Here's what they mean:
5G E: if you're on an AT&T network, you might see the 5G E icon. This is nothing but AT&T's LTE network, which the company is trying to trick users into thinking it's 5G.
5G: Your iPhone can connect to your carrier's network at frequencies below 6 GHz. Verizon calls its sub-6GHz network 5G Nationwide. On this network, your iPhone will provide faster download speeds than LTE, but the difference will only be about 10-20%.
5G+: you'll see this icon on your iPhone if you're using it on an AT&T network, and it's one that can offer gigabit+ download speeds. This icon is displayed when the AT&T mmWave network is available.
5G UW: this icon is displayed if you are on a Verizon network and its mmWave network is available. This network is available in limited areas but promises gigabit+ download speeds. By the end of 2020, Verizon says it will have a 5G UW network in 60 US cities. You won't see this badge on T-Mobile's network as it only sells its 5G network with a 5G badge.
Disable 5G Auto
To save battery life, your iPhone will automatically switch to an LTE network if it doesn't think you need 5G speed. However, if you want, you can force your iPhone to always use the 5G network when available. This will result in faster download speeds, although your iPhone 12's battery life will be greatly reduced.
If you want to maximize your iPhone's battery life, you should disable 5G automatically. Just select LTE and your iPhone will only connect to 4G networks.
