Next iPhone Will Reportedly Have "Global [4G] LTE Support"

NewImageAccording to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the next iPhone -- to be announced next week -- will support 4G LTE networks around the world, though it won't be available on every carrier.

Apple Inc.'s next iPhone will work on the fastest wireless networks around the world—including in the U.S., Europe and Asia—though it is unlikely to be available on every carrier, people familiar with the matter said.

[…]

It isn't likely to work with all carriers' LTE networks in all countries, the people said, though it wasn't clear which would be left out.

The first Apple device to support the higher-speed 4G LTE networks was the third-generation iPad, which supported AT&T and Verizon's networks -- but notably didn't work internationally. This resulted in complaints in numerous countries including Australia and across Europe.

Based on a roadmap of Qualcomm's mobile chips, it was predicted a year ago that the iPhone would not gain LTE until this quarter. The chipset that promises LTE speeds with much improved power consumption is the Qualcomm MDM9615. Conveniently, that chip is set to arrive in time for late 2012 delivery -- just in time for the new iPhone.

Battery life has been a sticking point for Apple, with the company's engineers refusing to compromise on run-time to support higher data speeds. The new iPhone battery runs at 3.8 volts and 5.45 watt hours versus 3.7 volts and 5.3 watt hours in the iPhone 4S.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...

Top Rated Comments

jvpython Avatar
168 months ago
Too little and too late. Android FTW

If you were so confident of Android's superiority why would you create an account on an Apple forum simply to troll?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cvaldes Avatar
168 months ago
In regards to this topic, the main problem with the iPhone in the US market is that the Sprint/Verizon/AT&T/Virgin Mobile, etc iPhone can only be used on *that* respective network.
That's the carriers' fault, not Apple's.

American cellular companies suck.

GSM to CDMA?
LTE technology is separate from GSM/UTMS and CDMA/EV-DO.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pipa Avatar
168 months ago
Too little and too late. Android FTW

Damn fandroid's. It's funny how they come to macrumors to troll.

:apple:
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carlanga Avatar
168 months ago
Apple are so behind the times. Android devices have had this capability for a while now.

sigh... not w/ the same power consumption. I like LTE, just don't love how much battery it sucks out of the current devices. Android LTE phones are like buying a car that can run really fast, but you have to stop every 1/4 mile to fill it up w/ gas.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fins831 Avatar
168 months ago
Its funny how LTE matters now, despite Android having it for a year and a half.

LTE came out and the battery life was atrocious, now they will be able to offer comparable battery life to 3G phones, and improving on that with each release (we hope).
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ARandomFellow Avatar
168 months ago
Its funny how LTE matters now, despite Android having it for a year and a half.

It's funny how you choose to ignore the reason Apple didn't include 4G and instead pretend that Apple decided it didn't matter. What they had to decide, more or less, was whether it mattered enough to make it worth the hit to the battery life it would have required, thereby making the iPhone as terrible as every one else's phones. It was a considered choice. Battery life or Faster data. Given that the iPhone has remained successful as have several competing phones that went the other route, cold, hard logic would suggest that neither choice was wrong or right for everyone. That's why it's good to have competition. Different ways of doing similar things provide the consumer with choices that are meaningful to them.

And along comes Qualcomm with a solution to everyone's problem. Win Win!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)