Apple today announced on its events page that it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00 a.m. at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
As with WWDC, Apple's fall event appears to be a digital-only gathering with no members of the media invited to attend in person due to the ongoing public health crisis. The format is likely to be similar to WWDC, with Apple providing pre-taped segments for each new product that's expected to be announced.
Apple hasn't released many products in 2020 due to the pandemic, so there's a lot on the horizon. The event will likely focus on the iPhone, and this year, we're expecting four iPhones in three sizes. The iPhone 12, which will be the more affordable iPhone model available, will come in 5.4 and 6.1-inch size options. The 5.4-inch model will be the smallest iPhone that Apple has released in years.
The iPhone 12 Pro, the higher-end flagship iPhone models, will come in 6.1 and 6.7-inch size options. The 6.7-inch iPhone will be the largest iPhone that Apple has ever released. All of the iPhones will feature edge to edge displays and Face ID functionality with TrueDepth cameras.
Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup will support 5G and the iPhones will feature a new iPad Pro-style design that does away with the rounded edges that have been used since the iPhone 6 in favor of more squared edges like the iPad Pro or the iPhone 4.
New camera tech is expected, with the high-end iPhones expected to gain LiDAR Scanners similar to the iPad Pro, and 120Hz displays are a possibility. All of the new iPhones will use faster A14 chips, and because 5G is expensive, Apple may do away with the power adapter and earbuds that normally come along with an iPhone, instead offering these separately.
Apple's iPhones are delayed this year and won't be shipping out to customers in September. Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 12 models will launch a few weeks later than usual, suggesting an October debut.
Along with new iPhones, we're also expecting the Apple Watch Series 6, which is expected to look similar to the Apple Watch Series 5. It may have new health tracking capabilities, though, as blood oxygen level detection has been rumored.
Apple is also working on new iPads, and the event could perhaps see the unveiling of the rumored 11-inch iPad Air that's supposed to feature an all-screen display with Touch ID either built into the power button or under the display. There may also be a new low-cost iPad in the works with a larger form factor.
We're expecting the first Arm-based Macs this year, which could come in the form of a refreshed MacBook Air and a redesigned 23 or 24-inch iMac, but Apple is likely to save those for a later unveiling rather than introducing them with new iPhones.
Other wild card products we could see include the rumored over-ear AirPods Studio headphones, AirTags, a wireless charging mat of some kind, and a smaller, low-cost HomePod. For more on the products that Apple has in the works, make sure to check out our upcoming products guide.
Apple plans to stream the fall iPhone event live on its website and on the Apple TV when it kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. For those unable to watch, MacRumors will be providing full event coverage both on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Update 8:49 a.m.: Apple has also sent out specific invites for members of the press, with the invites carrying the tagline "Time Flies."
Update 9:17 a.m.: Apple has shared a YouTube placeholder video for the event, which will be available live on YouTube, the Events app on Apple TV, and the Events website on Apple devices.
Peloton today announced a new stationary workout bike that is compatible with Apple's GymKit, allowing Apple Watch owners to easily pair with it for metric syncing and more accurate activity tracking.
The Bike+ features a 23.8-inch rotating HD touchscreen that allows users to switch between cycling sessions and Peloton's trainer-led floor-based workouts, while a new four-speaker audio system offers better sound quality.
The equipment also comes with new intelligent setting called "auto-follow" that allows users to let the Bike+ automatically adjust resistance based on the user's Target Metrics.
The Peloton Bike+ costs $2,495 and will be available to order from September 9. Anyone with an original Peloton Bike will be able to trade it in and get a $700 credit towards the new model. The All-Access Membership costs $39 per month and includes all of Peloton's guided instructor courses.
Also today, Peloton announced a shakeup of its treadmill lineup. The original Peloton Tread has been renamed Peloton Tread+ and the company is launching a new, more affordable model that will inherit the name of the original model.
The new Peloton Tread includes a 23.8-inch touchscreen, a smaller tread base, and a new running platform designed to make training easier. The new Peloton Tread will launch early next year and will cost $2,495.
GymKit was introduced in watchOS 4.1 in October 2017.
Apple has today launched an official "Oprah's Book Club" podcast, to accompany the Apple TV+ series of the same name (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Apple's ongoing partnership with Oprah Winfrey has now expanded into podcasting. Over a series of eight episodes, Oprah will discuss Isabel Wilkerson's book "Caste: The Origins of our Discontents."
The non-fiction book, published at the start of August, illustrates "the hidden hierarchy of human ranking that has shaped America." It was lauded soon after on The New York Times bestsellers list. Winfrey said the book "provides a new way of seeing racial inequality, giving rise to countless aha moments and helping us truly understand America as it is now and how we hope it will be."
The podcast will revolve around discussions with a group of guests as they explore the "eight pillars of caste" laid out in the book. Two episodes will be released each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The trailer and first episode of the podcast series is available now.
Oprah's Book Club now spans Apple TV+, the Books app, podcasts, curated articles on Apple News, and an interview with Wilkerson streaming on Apple Music. Winfrey will also discuss the book with Wilkerson on the Oprah's Book Club Apple TV+ show this fall.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Apple was planning to develop a range of original podcasts, some of which would focus on Apple TV+ titles, in an effort to compete with the likes of Spotify and Amazon.
In May, Apple introduced The Zane Lowe Interview Series, which featured in-depth conversations from the DJ’s Apple Music show, and daily news roundup "Apple News Today." Apple TV+ anthology series "Little America" is also due to receive an accompanying podcast at some point in the future.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple today released a trailer for a new family-friendly animated film coming to Apple TV+ this year called "Wolfwalkers."
Apple acquired the rights to the film back in 2018, and it comes from the creators and director of "The Secret of Kells" and "Song of the Sea."
The film is described as an adventure film about a young apprentice named Robyn who travels with her father to Ireland to help wipe out a pack of wolves. However, once they arrive Robyn discovers a girl who has the ability to transform into a wolf at night, and begins to question if they should continue on their mission.
"Wolfwalkers" stars Honor Kneafsey as Robyn, Sean Bean as her father Bill, and Eva Whittaker as Mebh. A specific release date wasn't given for the film's release, but in the Apple TV app it is marked as coming sometime in 2020.
With rumors suggesting that Apple may announce the date of its fall product event at some point this week, the #AppleEvent hashtag on Twitter has now been customized with a blue Apple logo, fueling even more speculation.
According to Jane Manchun Wong's Hashflag Browser, the Apple logo was added to the hashtag earlier today and will be active through Monday, September 28. While nothing is for certain, this expiration date could suggest that Apple plans to host its fall event at some point in September, rather than in the second half of October as previously rumored.
Twitter allows brands to add custom emojis next to hashtags as a marketing strategy. According to Agency Creative, these "hashflags" can cost upwards of one million dollars, and they're commonly seen for large events like the Super Bowl or holidays. The file name for Apple's hashflag is AppleEvent2020.png.
Update 9/15: On the day of Apple's event, Twitter has added a unique heart animation to the Like button if the tweet being liked includes the #AppleEvent hashtag – try it!
Australia is now investigating app store policies as part of yet another antitrust inquiry into Apple and Google (via Gizmodo).
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced that it will investigate the competition between the Google Play store and Apple's App Store, access to platforms and consumers, fee structures, data collection, and price transparency. The work is part of an ACCC inquiry spanning five years, which intends to produce reports every six months examining markets for the supply of digital platform services in Australia.
"We want to know more about the market for mobile apps in Australia, including how transparent and effective the market is, for consumers as well as those operating in the market. We will also focus on the extent of competition between the major online app stores, and how they compete for app sales with other app providers," said ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard. "For app developers and suppliers, gaining a spot in one of the major app stores can result in significant sales, while failing to gain access can be a major setback. We are keen to provide greater transparency on how this process works. We are also interested in how data is used and shared in the app ecosystem, including the data available to Google and Apple as a result of their control of the major app stores."
The investigation will examine the experiences that Australians have with Apple and Google's app stores, including consumers, suppliers, and developers. Part of this will involve a public survey and the full report is set to be delivered in March 2021.
In recent months, similar inquiries have taken place in the United States, the European Union, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, and Korea, as big tech companies come under increasing scrutiny for allegedly monopolistic and anti-competitive practices.
Apple will begin mass producing the iPhone 12 on a limited scale later this month and on into early October, according to a report today from Nikkei Asian Review.
Of the four 5G devices Apple is expected to launch this year, production will reportedly begin with the more affordable 6.1-inch OLED model with dual-lens camera, which accounts for around 40% of Apple's production orders for its iPhone 12 lineup, claims Nikkei's sources.
This model is expected to replace the iPhone 11, which is said to have been the single most popular smartphone this year. Apple is also set to launch a smaller 5.4-inch model, a more expensive 6.1-inch model with triple-lens camera, and a premium 6.7-inch model – its largest iPhone yet.
Nikkei claims Apple ordered components for up to 80 million 5G iPhones, but its sources say the actual number produced this year may end up being between 73 million and 74 million, with the rest deferred into early 2021.
That's not being seen as a significant problem in terms of revenue, however, since Apple has been able to reach production orders of as much as 27 million units for new iPads for September-December, which is nearly as much as all iPad models (both new and old) produced in the second half of last year.
The healthy demand for iPads is said to have been a result of the significant increase in remote working and remote learning during the ongoing global health crisis.
In addition, Nikkei claims Apple has already begun mass production of AirTags, the rumored new Tile-like Bluetooth tracking device that's designed to be attached to items like keys and wallets. According to the latest AirTags rumor from Japanese site Mac Otakara, Apple's AirTags will be introduced alongside the iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Series 6 at an event set to be held in the latter half of October.
Over the weekend, frequent Leaker Jon Prosserclaimed that Apple was targeting a 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time press release today. Prosser had previously said that new iPad and Apple Watch models were planned to launch during the week of September 7.
Prosser has since doubled down on that claim. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has cast some doubt on the rumor, however, by suggesting that any news today would "more likely" be an announcement about a virtual media event to unveil the next iPhone and Apple Watch.
Yesterday, frequent leaker Jon Prosser claimed that Apple was targeting 9:00 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow, September 8, for a press release launch of new products. Prosser had previously said that new iPad and Apple Watch models were planned to launch during the week of September 7, so those appeared to be the products we should be expecting to see.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman cast some doubt on the rumor, however, suggesting that any news tomorrow morning would "more likely" be an announcement about a virtual media event to unveil the next iPhone and Apple Watch.
With less than twelve hours to go until the rumored press release time, Prosser is doubling down on his claim, saying that his sources "are not budging or changing their mind" and that new iPad Air and Apple Watch models are expected to debut tomorrow.
Okay, guys. Last tweet of the night. 👇
My sources are not budging or changing their mind.
They’re still telling me that Apple Watch and iPad Air are coming tomorrow via press release.
See you all in the morning to find out! 👋🤗
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) September 8, 2020
Supporting his case, Prosser pointed out earlier today that many Apple Watch Series 5 models are listed as currently unavailable in Apple's online store, with the assumption being that Apple has been depleting its stock of the current models in advance of an imminent update.
We've been watching Apple Watch Series 5 stock levels over the past few weeks and have seen a number of them going out of stock, and the number of affected models does appear to be increasing, but it's hard to say whether they point toward an imminent launch as soon as tomorrow or perhaps within the next month.
Apple has struggled with supplies of a number of its products over the past six months, thanks to the global health crisis impacting not only production at times but also consumer demand for certain product lines.
Given the unlikelihood of an in-person media event to introduce new hardware and Apple's admission that new iPhones will launch "a few weeks later" than usual, we're in uncharted waters and not entirely sure how Apple will roll out the numerous new products that appear to be on the verge of launching. So stay tuned tomorrow morning, and we'll see whether Apple has anything to announce.
Apple today announced that its new Marina Bay Sands retail store in Singapore will open at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, with Apple calling it the company's "most ambitious retail project."
The Marina Bay Sands store appears to float on Marina Bay and its all-glass dome assembled using 114 pieces of glass is a one-of-a-kind construction.
Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, an oculus located at the apex of the dome provides a flooding ray of light that travels through the space. The interior of the glass is lined with custom baffles, each uniquely shaped to counter sun angles and provide a nighttime lighting effect. With trees lining the interior of the dome, the green garden city of Singapore flows into the store, providing additional shading and soft shadows through the foliage.
The store, which will be staffed by 148 employees who collectively speak over 23 languages, includes not only the usual product display areas and massive video wall anchoring The Forum, but also Apple's first underwater Boardroom for business meetings, training, and private events.
Apple Marina Bay Sands is the company's third retail store in Singapore, and opening-day visits will be by reservation only with reservations made through the store web page.
Apple has hired Tim Connolly, a Hollywood executive with experience at Disney, Hulu, and Quibi, for Apple TV, according to The Telegraph.
Connolly was vice-president of digital distribution and new product development at Disney. He was one of the most senior executives at streaming startup Quibi, running partnerships and advertising, but he vacated the role before the video service launched earlier this year. Connolly also helped to launch Hulu's live TV service, which involved striking deals with other major networks. Similarly, he oversaw a deal between Spotify and Hulu to bundle their services.
Connolly's exact role at Apple is as yet unknown, but it seems likely that he will be involved in brokering deals for Apple TV's Channels feature. The Apple TV app allows users to buy and watch third-party streaming services directly within the app, but support has been limited thus far. Apple began selling subscriptions to combined services last month, with a bundle including CBS All Access and Showtime, for an overall lower price of $9.99. This move and the hiring of Connolly may indicate that Apple is planning to launch more similar bundles and bolster Apple TV Channels.
Given Connolly's experience in bundling services, it is also possible that he is involved in launching Apple's upcoming "Apple One" subscription service bundles. The series of bundles would allow customers to subscribe to several Apple digital services, such as Apple Music and Apple TV+, together. This is expected to result in a lower monthly price than when the services are subscribed to individually.
Apple did not respond to The Telegraph's request for comment. Connolly's arrival at Apple is yet another indication that the company is heavily investing in its TV and subscription service enterprises.
Italy's antitrust regulator has today opened another inquiry into Apple for allegedly improper commercial practices with regards to cloud computing services (via Reuters).
The investigation will also look into the practices of Google and Dropbox, in addition to Apple. The L'Autorit Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) did not release further information or state how long the investigation would take, and Apple has yet to comment on the matter.
"The proceedings relate to alleged improper commercial practices and the possible inclusion of unfair clauses in contract conditions," the AGCM said in a statement.
The investigation is the third by the AGCM into Apple. In July, the AGCM began scrutinizing Apple and Amazon over allegations that the two companies blocked the sale of Apple and Beats devices to resellers in order to stifle competition. Each investigation is separate and managed irrespective of other ongoing investigations.
A previous AGCM probe looked into the company for iPhone battery slowdowns, which the antitrust watchdog said was a form of planned obsolescence. It subsequently demanded a 10 million euro fine from Apple as a sanction.
After LG disappointed swathes of customers by saying it had "no plans" to bring promised AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to select 2018 TVs, the company has now renewed its pledge to do so by the end of the year.
Today's announcement was made by LG UK's official Twitter account, the very same account that last month told its customers that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit would not be coming to its pre-2019 TVs, despite previously giving customers assurances that they would do so this year.
The original tweet has since been deleted, and it's not clear whether this latest u-turn is the result of poor communication within the company or a reaction to the outpouring of negative customer comments that its earlier statement elicited. Either way, owners of 2018 LG smart TVs that have LCD models with "SK" or "UK" in the name or OLED models with "B8" through "Z8" in the name are likely to welcome the development.
Customers worldwide can now enjoy the Apple TV app on LG 2018 OLED and Super UHD TVs, with UHD TV models to follow. LG's 2018 TVs will add support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit later this year, and more details will be shared when these features become available
— LG UK (@LGUK) September 7, 2020
AirPlay 2 support will enable users of the above TV models to stream videos, music, podcasts, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to their LG smart TV, with no Apple TV necessary. With HomeKit support, they will be able to control their TV's power, volume, source, and more using Siri or the Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
LG today also officially announced worldwide support for Apple's TV app on select LG 2018 OLED and Super UHD TVs, with support for UHD TV models to follow. The announcement follows scattered reports last month that the Apple TV app had begun showing up for some users.
Apple is set to debut four new OLED iPhones in 5.4, 6.1, and 6.7-inch sizes before the year is out. Rumors suggest the 6.7-inch iPhone and one 6.1-inch model will be higher-end devices with triple-lens cameras, while the 5.4-inch device and the other 6.1-inch model will be more affordable lower-end iPhones with dual-lens cameras.
Owing to development and production delays, Apple is rumored to be staggering its iPhone launches this year, although we're still seeing conflicting rumors about the order in which the devices will be released.
DigiTimes has previously suggested the two 6.1-inch iPhone 12 models could come out first in October, with the 6.7 and 5.4-inch models to follow, and in a new report out today, the Taiwanese industry publication has reiterated that claim, based on the shipment timing of substrate-like printed circuit boards for the devices.
The new iPhone lineup may arrive in two stages, with two 6.1-inch models in the first and another two 6.7- and 5.4-inch devices in the second, said the sources, noting that shipments of SLP mainboards for the 6.1-inch models were kicked off in July and those for the 6.7- and 5.4-inch ones began in the second half of August.
Bloomberg has also reported that Apple will stagger its iPhone launches in 2020. However, it expects Apple to launch the more affordable 5.4 and 6.1-inch devices first, with the more expensive 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch "Pro" devices to follow.
Meanwhile, leaker Jon Prosserclaims the iPhone 12 models will be introduced at an event set to take place during the week of October 12, with the lower-cost iPhone 12 models expected to be available for pre-order shortly after the event. Prosser says the iPhone 12 Pro models won't be available until November.
Regardless of the order in which Apple releases its iPhone 12 lineup, an official announcement about the devices could be just around the corner. Prosser believes an iPad and Apple Watch press release is due as soon as this Tuesday, but well-connected Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurmanthinks it's likely to be an announcement of a virtual iPhone/Apple Watch event in September.
For further details on what features to expect in Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 lineup, be sure to check out our dedicated guide.
Apple's ECG app and irregular heart rhythm notifications on the Apple Watch Series 4 and 5 have received domestic approval and certification from Japan's medical authorities, indicating that both features should go live in the country very soon.
The approval was confirmed by the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Medical Equipment (JAAME) on Friday, September 4, and subsequently reported by tech blog iPhone Mania today. An imminent update to Apple's watchOS will likely turn on the features for existing Apple Watch owners.
As a result of the approval, the Ochanomizu Department of Cardiology has begun moving forward with its Apple Watch Outpatient program, which will help registered patients use devices to help them record suspected arrhythmia attacks and submit them for further detailed examination.
Apple Watch Series 4 and 5 users can generate an ECG waveform in just 30 seconds by placing their finger on the Digital Crown. The idea is that you can take this information to your doctor, if the results are abnormal, and use it as a basis to discover if you have any larger issues at hand.
Apple routinely has to gain approval from government health agencies before marketing the Apple Watch's ECG feature in different countries. Apple won U.S. FDA clearance to promote the function when the Apple Watch Series 4 launched in 2018.
Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) updated its list of registered foreign manufacturers to include Apple as a "certified entity" in June.
In this week's App Recap, we've highlighted finance app "Buddy," productivity app "MindNode," and productivity app "Study Bunny" as three apps that are worth checking out.
Apps to Check Out
Buddy - Easy Budgeting (iOS, Subscription) - Buddy is an app that can help users set up a budget and keep track of expenses. The app's overview page provides a clear breakdown of all expenses over a month against an income value. Users can break up spending budgets into various categories to track how much spending occurs in each, and all transaction data can be conveniently exported in a CSV file. The app is free to download, and users can subscribe to the app's premium plan to create an unlimited number of budgets and categories, share transactions and budgeting data with others, export transactions, and more. Buddy's premium plan is available in monthly, quarterly, and yearly subscription options priced at $4.99, $11.99, and $34.99 respectively.
MindNode - Mind Map (iOS & Mac, Subscription) - MindNode is an app that can be used to capture all aspects of an idea in a simple manner. The app allows several forms of content to be added on a branch of the map including text, drawings, links, and more. To help organize an idea, users can easily tag, detach, connect, reconnect, and move branches around the map. Maps can also be converted into an indented list in just a tap, which is a great way to see an outlined, high-level view of an idea. Although the app is free to download, certain features like Themes, Visual Tags, and Focus Mode are limited to subscribers of MindNode Plus, which is available in both monthly and yearly options priced at $2.49 and $19.99 respectively. There's also a two week trial available for new subscribers.
Study Bunny: Focus Timer (iOS, Free) - Study Bunny can help users focus through a timer that tracks both work and break minutes. Upon completing a period of work, coins are obtained that can be used to purchase in-app content like sounds, custom backgrounds, and more. If the work timer is paused for more than seven minutes, however, coins will be lost, so users are incentivized to continue working. Additionally, the app tracks the length of study periods and displays daily work totals in weekly and monthly charts within the analytics menu. Study Bunny also lets users create flashcards and to-do lists to further help bolster productivity.
Are you using a great new app we've missed? Let us know in the comments and we'll check it out for next week's App Recap. Are you a developer of a unique app you'd like us to consider? Send us a message through our tip line at the top of the page and we'll check it out.
Apple is reportedly planning a press release for this Tuesday to announce new iPad and Apple Watch models, according to prolific leaker Jon Prosser.
Prosser explains that Apple has a press release scheduled for Tuesday, September 8 at 9:00 EST, but notes that it is not "locked in" until the day itself. Prosser has also said that he will offer an update if and when one is available.
Prosser has previously said that new Apple Watch and iPad models would arrive via press release in the week of September 7. This alleged Tuesday press release would seem to be for those products.
Although new Apple Watch models would likely be the expected Series 6, Prosser did not state which iPad would be arriving. In recent months there has been some conflation about leaks regarding the low-cost iPad and iPad Air 4. It has also been suggested that updated iPad Pro models may arrive this month, so it is difficult to know exactly which iPad models are expected.
Apple press release is currently scheduled for Tuesday (September 8) at 9:00am EST — though, I should note that it’s not locked in until the press has been briefed, day of.
I’ll tweet early that morning to update you if it changes.
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) September 6, 2020
The release of multiple Apple products appears to be imminent. At the end of last month, Apple registered eight Apple Watches and seven iPads in Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) filings, and various leaks such as an alleged instruction manual and design schematics have come to light. Similar EEC filings have preceded the launch of new Apple products on numerous occasions, including multiple iPad, iPad Pro, iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, and AirPods models.
The EEC filings effectively confirm that new Apple Watches and at least two different models of iPad will be released very soon, so Prosser's claim that a Tuesday press release will see announcements of these products is not unfounded. Prosser has also correctly predicted some of Apple's launch plans in the past.
Update: Mark Gurman believes that the Tuesday announcement may only be for the upcoming iPhone event rather than any new product releases:
I wouldn’t get too excited about rumors of new Apple products appearing this week. More likely I think: an announcement of the upcoming (of course virtual) September iPhone/Apple Watch event.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 6, 2020
In the filing, Epic Games says it was willing to challenge Apple "because it was the right thing to do" and "it was better positioned than many other companies to weather the storm." Epic describes Apple as a "monopolist" who maintains its dominant position by "explicitly prohibiting any competitive entry" to both app distribution and in-app payment processing markets.
Epic mentions that it's "likely to suffer irreparable harm" if Fortnite is not made available on the App Store and that "the balance of harms tips strongly in Epic’s favor," citing that daily iOS active users have already declined by over 60% since the app's initial removal from the App Store.
Fortnite introduced a direct payment option in mid-August that skirted Apple's in-app purchase system by allowing payments directly to Epic Games. Apple shortly after pulled the app from the App Store for disregarding App Store policies, which has lead to a lawsuit from Epic and a quickly escalating legal fight between the two companies.
Epic has refused to back down from the direct purchase option added to Fortnite, and Apple won't allow the app in the App Store while the direct payment option remains. Apple told Epic that it's ready to "welcome Fortnite back onto iOS" if Epic removes the direct payment option and returned to the status quo while the legal battle plays out in court, but Epic has refused.
The preliminary injunction was filed on Friday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and the hearing will take place on September 28.
All of the iPhones in Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups feature Qualcomm modems that support 5G, but potential buyers need to know that not all 5G networks are equal. There's the super fast mmWave (millimeter wave) 5G and the slower but more widespread Sub-6GHz 5G.
In the United States, all of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models support both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G connectivity, but mmWave technology is not available worldwide. The 2022 iPhone SE is also limited to sub-6GHz 5G connectivity. This guide highlights the differences between mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G to give you an overview of how 5G works on the iPhone.
mmWave vs. Sub6GHz Explained
5G is fifth-generation cellular wireless, succeeding the 4G LTE networks that have been in use since 2010. There are two kinds of 5G networks: mmWave, which is the super-fast 5G that most people are talking about when they talk about 5G speed improvements, and sub-6GHz, the 5G that most people are going to experience for the time being.
Smartphones transmit voice and data over the air using electromagnetic radio frequencies, with these frequencies organized into different frequency bands. Some of these bands have more capacity than others and are able to deliver information faster, which is the case with mmWave.
mmWave refers to higher frequency radio bands ranging from 24GHz to 40GHz, and Sub-6GHz refers to mid and low-frequency bands under 6GHz. Low-frequency bands are under 1GHz, while mid-bands range from 3.4GHz to 6GHz and are not considered "mmWave."
mmWave 5G networks are ultra-fast, but they're also ultra-short range. To use mmWave technology, you need to be within about a block of a 5G tower, which isn't feasible in suburban and rural areas. mmWave spectrum is also blocked and obscured by doors, windows, trees, and walls, further limiting its available range, and because it requires so many towers for coverage, it's expensive for carriers to deploy.
Because of its limited range, accessing mmWave spectrum has only become possible over the course of the last few years due to technological advancements like Massive MIMO, adaptable beamforming, and miniaturization of complex antenna processing functions, and mmWave is still nascent technology that's in the process of being adopted.
mmWave's limitations make it best suited for dense, urban areas, or specific targeted spots like airports or concerts. In rural and suburban areas, mmWave technology is not practical because it doesn't have enough range, which is where the Sub-6GHz networks come in. Sub-6GHz 5G is faster than 4G, but it doesn't offer the blazing-fast speeds that you can get with mmWave. Since it has a longer range and can better penetrate objects, it's much more affordable for carriers to implement.
It's worth noting that mmWave 5G offers greater bandwidth, relieving network congestion. In crowded areas, LTE speeds can slow because of the number of devices connecting, while mmWave technology is able to handle a greater number of connections without significant speed drops. For that reason, you may see mmWave set up in crowded areas where network congestion is a problem, such as at sporting events, airports, concerts, and other locations where many people gather, as well as in urban areas.
With an iPhone that supports both mmWave and Sub-6GHz, you can take advantage of lightning-quick 5G speeds where mmWave technology is available, while other 5G coverage is similar to the more modern LTE networks. With an iPhone that only has Sub-6GHz, you can use the most widely available 5G networks, but are blocked off from the faster mmWave that might be available in cities.
Over time, low-band and mid-band 5G speeds should get much quicker just like LTE did as it evolved, but those incredibly fast speeds that people expect from 5G are mmWave speeds and are much more limited in availability.
Speed Differences
mmWave spectrum can deliver theoretical speeds as high as 5Gb/s, which is much, much faster than the speeds achievable with LTE connectivity.
In practice, early mmWave networks have been delivering speeds that max out at around 2Gb/s, but as we found when we tested Verizon's mmWave network with a Samsung smartphone in Chicago in mid-2019, speeds vary drastically based on your position and proximity to the nearest 5G tower.
LTE networks are much slower. In fact, Tom's Guide recently looked at LTE speeds and saw top download speeds of 53Mb/s on Verizon, but most carriers were closer to 35Mb/s.
Sub-6GHz networks fall somewhere in between mmWave and LTE speeds. Sprint's Sub-6GHz network (which is now T-Mobile's), for example, has seen maximum speeds of about 200Mb/s. A good LTE connection can hit those speeds, but realistically, Sub-6GHz 5G is faster than most people will see with LTE, though not reaching those incredible speeds possible with mmWave.
OpenSignal in August 2020 analyzed real-world 5G speeds in multiple countries (using smartphones that currently support 5G), and the speed results for the United States might be surprising to those who are expecting major speed gains from 5G. Average download speeds on 5GHz networks were around 50.9Mb/s, compared to 28.9 Mb/s on LTE, and that's because most of the coverage in the U.S. is Sub-6GHz at this time.
Other countries have more advanced 5G networks and can provide some insight into the speed improvements we could realistically see within the next few years. On average, OpenSignal found 5G connectivity to be between 1.4x and 14.3x faster than 4G, but this data does not separate mmWave 5G from Sub-6GHz 5G.
One other interesting metric OpenSignal noted was time connected to 5G networks. In the United States, smartphone owners with devices that support 5G spent just 19.3 percent of the time connected to 5G networks because of their limited availability.
mmWave Availability
In the United States, AT&T and Verizon have implemented mmWave support, but it's still available in a limited capacity. It's in select major cities and not even citywide - it's typically limited to select neighborhoods.
With Sub-6GHz, it's already more widespread with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile rolling out lower-spectrum and mid-band 5G networks that are available to many more customers.
Which iPhones Support mmWave?
All iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models in the United States support mmWave 5G networks. Outside of the United States, only sub-6GHz 5G networks are supported.
Do I Need the mmWave 5G Connectivity?
In a nutshell, no, most people don't need mmWave connectivity, nor will most people even access to it on a regular basis for the next several years to come.
Full mmWave 5G connectivity is still in the process of rolling out, and it continues to be limited in scope. It's only available in major cities in the United States, and in most of those major cities, it's not available everywhere and is in select areas.
The transition from 4G to 5G started in 2019 and there's still a ways to go, so most people are going to be able to get by without mmWave speeds. To know whether mmWave technology is worth it for you personally, it's a good idea to look up your carrier and see if mmWave spectrum has even rolled out where you live.
5G information for the major carriers in the United States is linked below so you can see the coverage for your particular carrier in your area.
If you don't spend a lot of time in one of the specific neighborhoods in one of the cities where your carrier offers 5G technology, you're not going to benefit from mmWave speeds and purchasing a mmWave iPhone should not be a major concern at this time. If you do live in a major urban area with a lot of mmWave 5G towers, you could see benefits from an iPhone that supports the faster technology.
Carriers are, of course, going to continue building out their mmWave networks and in a few years it could be much more widespread, which is a consideration for those who take future-proofing into account when making an iPhone purchase. But even years from now, mmWave is still likely to be limited in scope and available only in more urban areas and Sub-6GHz is the 5G most people will know and connect to.
Keep in mind that some carriers are charging more for 5G right now. Verizon, for example, is pricing 5G plans $10 higher than comparative 4G unlimited plans. AT&T and T-Mobile aren't charging higher prices yet, but that could change as 5G further expands.
Apple's Future 5G Plans
Apple is working on creating its own modem chips that are designed in-house, much like the Apple silicon and A-series chips, which will allow the company to reduce its reliance on modem chip vendors.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said that Apple could transition to its own 5G modems as early as 2023. Once Apple comes out with its own modem designs, it will no longer need Qualcomm. 2023 is the "earliest" date, however, so the timeline could change.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about mmWave vs. Sub-6GHz 5G connectivity or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here. If you want to know more about Apple's 5G iPhone plans, make sure to check out our 5G iPhone guide.
