The possibility of iPhone 12 being the first iPhone 5G began to seem unlikely, but more and more rumors began to hint that all phones released by Apple at the end of the year may have 5G connectivity.
However, it recently became known that in addition to the four 5G iPhone 12 models, there may also be two models (supposedly variants of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max) that could also have 4G versions released, with lower prices.
While this news seems a little iffy, given that the filter has never leaked anything before, it excited many people at the prospect of an iPhone 4G 4 that is supposedly much cheaper than the current iPhone 11.
Even if this 4G iPhone 12 does end up being released, you shouldn’t be fast enough to finish it, and there are reasons why you might want to consider spending a little more to get the 5G equivalent. Let’s explore why.
Future-proof iPhone 12
Tech writers often use the word ‘future proof’ to describe a technology, or product with that technology, that will remain relevant and useful for years after you have purchased it.
For example, USB-C is future-proof because it will likely remain a technology standard for years to come. Older microUSB technology is not future-proof because few devices or chargers already support it.
When you buy a new device, you don’t want it to work right away, you also want it to keep working for years. Until then, the average ‘life’ of a smartphone is two and a half years, and some people will keep their phones for five or more years.
There is no point in buying a product that will quickly cease to be useful in the middle of its life cycle. A 4G version of the iPhone 12 would not be future-proof, just like any 4G phone in 2020, because in some years, 5G is likely to become a vital piece of technology. That may sound like a contentious statement, so let’s dig deeper.
5G will not be useless forever
Right now, 5G is not a big problem because few people have 5G phones, and not many countries have 5G networks complete enough that you can reliably connect to 5G. In fact, the TechRadar phone team often has to do their best to find the 5G signal to test 5G smartphones.
However, 5G won’t always be that difficult to find, and when coverage is better and more people have 5G-capable phones, there will be more ways to use reliable, high-speed Internet connection compared to what’s possible in this moment.
Consider this: When 4G was first released, many people said it wouldn’t be very helpful. Fast forward almost ten years: the applications we use today make the most of this form of connection; everything from playing games to posting photos and ordering food.
5G is likely to go through the same accelerated growth, and it probably won’t be long until applications that need 5G connectivity start to develop and launch. So if you are buying a new iPhone 4G and hope to keep it for a while, you may be disappointed a few years later when you miss out on all the popular apps.
Instead, we may recommend that some potential buyers spend a little more on the iPhone 5G; rumored to only cost $ 100 more. Or, if you want, you can buy a cheaper 5G Android phone, which will probably last you a long time.
A third option is to buy an old iPhone, since its low price means you won’t feel the pressure to keep it any longer. Below, we will list some prices for you to refer to.