Updated: October 23, 2020 9:17:54 am
All 5G-ready iPhone 12 models have the latest 4G modems built in. (Image credit: Reuters)
When you visit the official iPhone 12 home page on Apple’s website in India, you will notice that 5G, one of the PSUs of this new phone, is not mentioned. Instead, Apple says its flagship offers “4G LTE up to 2Gbps.” Therefore, the “speed” aspect of the new phones will have to wait until India rolls out next generation telecommunications technology in the country.
Experts believe that Apple is aware that 5G does not make any difference for consumers in India at the moment and that is why the company seems to be focusing on the features that will help sell the iPhone 12 lineup during the festive season.
“India, the world’s second largest and fastest growing smartphone market, is still at least a year away from having a 5G network,” says Irfan Khan, partner at Yaap, a digital content marketing and design company. multispecialized. “Therefore, the 5G part of the new iPhone 12 series will not be relevant to customers in India at this time, except to boast of having the latest technology.”
Fifth generation mobile internet services, or 5G, are already available in many parts of the world, including the US, South Korea, the UK, among other countries. It is the next generation of mobile Internet connection that offers much faster upload and download speeds. However, the reality is that even if you buy a 5G-capable phone today, your day-to-day experience will be no different.
All four iPhone 12 models support newer faster 5G networks, but in reality, you will not be able to use 5G connectivity before 2020 in India.
India has delayed the 5G spectrum auction in India until 2021 citing the Covid-19 outbreak and the poor financial health of the telecommunications industry. This means that the country is already behind in the rollout of 5G networks. One important thing to keep in mind is that building 5G networks will take time, especially in a massive country like India. So even if telcos launch 5G services no later than 2022, it will initially be limited to certain pockets.
Yash Jethani, Research Manager, Telecommunications, IDC Asia / Pacific, argues that the launch of the 5G-ready iPhone 12 line is not enough for Airtel and Jio to pressure the government to start the spectrum auction. Postpaid subscribers in India are still only 4% to 5% of the overall market and, combined with Apple’s small market share in the smartphone market, it makes no sense for major telcos to put pressure on the government. to speed up the spectrum auction process, additional Jethani.
Any customer can use a new 5G product, working with various Indian partners: Qualcomm
But Apple is not the only player currently offering 5G smartphones in India. Samsung, OnePlus and Xiaomi also sell 5G-ready smartphones in India. “Any significant adoption of 5G will depend on the ecosystem of end-to-end offerings and services and not just smartphones, so an operator in the future has to think about an agile inventory of digital products and services that encompasses not only smart devices. but also smart homes, smart life, smart work and smart environment ”, he added.
The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are aimed at serious photographers.
“India will probably wait for the 5G auctions,” Jethani said. “The penetration of fixed line connectivity in India is currently not encouraging to support 5G use cases indoors. Even the outdoor infrastructure (data centers, pole and edge masts) needs to be thought through properly. So even though Jio is clamoring for 5G, fixed line connectivity should support that bullish ‘digital India’ theme. “IDC expects 4.5 million 5G subscribers in India for fiscal year 2021-22 (March 2022), primarily via Jio.
5G comes in two formats: millimeter wave (mmWave) and sub-6 GHz and both use different types of radio signals to send and receive data. The mmWave 5G is useful for indoor locations like stadiums and concert halls where high performance is needed in a limited range, while the Sub-6 5G has a longer range but slightly slower.
Jethani says that the iPhone 12 will help launch new types of applications that will take advantage of 5G. But for the Indian market, he said, a lot depends on the price of a use case that an operator can support on 5G NSA radio.
The big reason to buy the iPhone 12 (all four iPhone 12 models in India support the sub-6GHz band) today will be to be future-proof when India decides to turn on 5G. “Apple users hang on to devices for a long time, at least 2 years or more. So any consumer still using iPhone 12 in 2022-23 will now be able to make use of 5G speeds, even if not in 2021, ”explained Navkendar Singh, research director for IDC India and South Asia.
The iPhone 12 has a 6.1-inch screen, while the iPhone 12 Mini comes with a 5.4-inch screen.
“I see Apple using a two-pronged strategy to market this device in India,” Khan said. “You can market the iPhone 12 as a phone that raises the bar, as it is a sleeker, stronger and more powerful iPhone for the masses. On the other hand, it can boost the iPhone 12 Pro as a phone of the future for its premium segment. “
iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro Max: Which iPhone is Right for You?
For those consumers who plan to buy the iPhone 12, the new smartphone offers many upgrades such as a faster processor, a better camera, and a new design. In fact, there are four iPhone models to choose from, including a 5.4-inch iPhone 12 that starts at Rs 69,900. “The iPhone 12 has a lot more going for it, especially for the Indian market. Apple has strategically launched its online store in India just weeks before the launch of the iPhone 12, which is a welcome development and connects to a major digital divide. This will allow Apple to launch trade-in options directly to its consumers during the iPhone 12 launch this holiday season, ”Khan said.
Singh says it is “too early” to comment on the reception of the new iPhones in India, but believes that many iPhone X users and those using older iPhone models could buy one of the iPhone 12 variants. that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro perform well, while the iPhone 12 Mini will appeal to a very specific group of consumers who are looking for a small device without compromise, “he said.
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