APPLE

New iPad Pro drops 5G mmWave support due to carrier rollout failures

The new iPad Pro not only lost its ultra-wide-angle camera, but also abandoned support for 5G mmWave.

As seen on the iPad Pro specs page, the iPad Pro M4 only supports 5G cellular in the sub-6 GHz band and LTE in 31 bands. The old iPad Pro with cellular connectivity could operate in the millimeter wave spectrum and support another LTE band.

First introduced into the Apple ecosystem with the iPhone 12, Millimeter waves provide ultra-high frequencies. wireless and cellular speeds with ultra-low latency. However, the trade-off is that the signal can only be transmitted over shorter distances. It also often cannot penetrate glass or trees and is therefore generally inaccessible indoors.

Therefore, its uptake among telecom operators has been relatively low. The mmWave deployment in the US is being supported by Verizon, where customers can see speeds of 1-2 gigabits in some regions. mmWave is also useful in densely populated areas such as sports stadiums. However, the vast majority of 5G coverage in the US is in the sub-6 GHz range.

The availability of mmWave outside the US is even more dismal, so much so that iPhones sold outside the US do not feature mmWave radios at all.

Apple appears to have determined the lack of carrier support means that it should no longer be included on the iPad, in the US or anywhere else. Of course, the iPad is most often used indoors, where mmWave is rarely available.

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