iPhone 12 can act as 5GHz Wi-Fi hotspot, boon for 5G

AppleInsider

Apple's iPhone 12 series sports an upgraded hotspot mode that supports 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, greatly expanding the handsets' utility amid a worldwide buildout of 5G cellular networks.

As noted by multiple reports on Twitter, including Zollotech's Aaron Zollo, iPhone 12 devices include the new Personal Hotspot ability that serves as an upgrade over previous iPhone models. Prior to iPhone 12, Apple's smartphone was able to connect to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but limited hotspot duties to the 2.4GHz band.

The capability is not spelled out in Apple's marketing materials, nor is the feature explained in iOS. Zollo, however, has confirmed a new "Maximize Compatibility" option manages switching between the two bands.

"Internet performance may be reduced for devices connected to your hotspot when turned on," according to the feature's description.

While the disclaimer is vague, Zollo says the setting moves Personal Hotspot to the 2.4GHz band to enable compatibility with a wider array of devices. Switching the option off presumably locks iPhone 12 handsets into a 5GHz Wi-Fi mode for faster data transmission.

MacRumors spotted the tweet on Monday.

The addition should prove beneficial to users in areas where 5G cellular connectivity is rolling out. Currently, most locations with 5G are limited to sub-6GHz bands with speeds comparable to existing 4G LTE networks. Some urban locales, however, are getting a taste of speedy mmWave bands and will be able to take advantage of iPhone 12's faster hotspot.

Apple's iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max support mmWave, but only in the U.S. To enable access to the protocol, domestic iPhones integrate a special mmWave antenna window that resides in a cutout below the side button.

EEMind94

This article makes absolutely no sense. I think there is a giant misunderstanding of what "5G" means and what "5GHz" is. 5GHz is not comparable to 5G. 5GHz is a WiFi frequency band that emits from the new iPhone 12. 5G is the 5th generation of cellular networking technology, it utilizes frequency bands above the 6GHz range. 5GHz WiFi capabilities are available with almost all in-home WiFi routers now, so the capability on the new iPhone is not that surprising. But as for being a "boon" this just simply isn't the case. When you use your phone as a WiFi hotspot, it basically acts as a link from a device you connect to it to the cellular network. No cellular network in the US has reached 5G mesh coverage yet, save for maybe one city. So when your phone says 5G, it's likely still experience 4G LTE speeds. This limits the capability of the 5GHz WiFi hotspot to be utilized to its full potential, but thats here nor there. This article is wildly misinformed and displays a severe lack of understanding for the technology it's covering. For a website called AppleInsider, you should be ashamed. ,

m0dest

Yeah, this has literally nothing to do with 5G. Even tethering from a 3G HSPA connection is going to see major performance improvements from moving out of the noisy 2.4 GHz spectrum and getting a wider band.

GeorgeBMac

EEMind94 said:

This article makes absolutely no sense. I think there is a giant misunderstanding of what "5G" means and what "5GHz" is. 5GHz is not comparable to 5G. 5GHz is a WiFi frequency band that emits from the new iPhone 12. 5G is the 5th generation of cellular networking technology, it utilizes frequency bands above the 6GHz range. 5GHz WiFi capabilities are available with almost all in-home WiFi routers now, so the capability on the new iPhone is not that surprising. But as for being a "boon" this just simply isn't the case. When you use your phone as a WiFi hotspot, it basically acts as a link from a device you connect to it to the cellular network. No cellular network in the US has reached 5G mesh coverage yet, save for maybe one city. So when your phone says 5G, it's likely still experience 4G LTE speeds. This limits the capability of the 5GHz WiFi hotspot to be utilized to its full potential, but thats here nor there. This article is wildly misinformed and displays a severe lack of understanding for the technology it's covering. For a website called AppleInsider, you should be ashamed. ,

Yeh, it talked about receiving on both WiFi bands but only transmitting via hotspot on one of them.  Then it switched to receiving on 5G and transmitting  on 5GHz.   That may have confused some readers less familiar with the terms.

As for dismissing it because the 5G rollout is not yet complete in the U.S. (or even on par with other countries), that is short sighted.   If you're paying attention you know it's coming both here and elsewhere.  So, why would you want to invest in a phone that's incapable of taking advantage of it (unless you plan to trade in the phone next year)?

elijahg

EEMind94 said:

This article makes absolutely no sense. I think there is a giant misunderstanding of what "5G" means and what "5GHz" is. 5GHz is not comparable to 5G. 5GHz is a WiFi frequency band that emits from the new iPhone 12. 5G is the 5th generation of cellular networking technology, it utilizes frequency bands above the 6GHz range. 5GHz WiFi capabilities are available with almost all in-home WiFi routers now, so the capability on the new iPhone is not that surprising. But as for being a "boon" this just simply isn't the case. When you use your phone as a WiFi hotspot, it basically acts as a link from a device you connect to it to the cellular network. No cellular network in the US has reached 5G mesh coverage yet, save for maybe one city. So when your phone says 5G, it's likely still experience 4G LTE speeds. This limits the capability of the 5GHz WiFi hotspot to be utilized to its full potential, but thats here nor there. This article is wildly misinformed and displays a severe lack of understanding for the technology it's covering. For a website called AppleInsider, you should be ashamed. ,

It's completely fine, you are the one misunderstanding. The article correctly states that iPhones 11 and below can only provide personal hotspot on 2.4Ghz, but the iPhone 12 can provide personal hotspot on 5Ghz. It also correctly state that iPhones 12 and below can connect to 5Ghz *wifi* networks. It also correctly states iPhone 12s in 5G areas will benefit from 5Ghz WiFi, because 5G speeds exceed the capabilities of 2.4Ghz wifi. So yes, 5Ghz personal hotspot is a boon. Oh and only having 4G LTE speeds only limits the top speed of the 5Ghz hotspot, but 5Ghz is less congested, less latency, and uses more modern 802.11ac, whereas 2.4Ghz is limited to 802.11n.  But do tell what's wrong with the article?

mike1

Me thinks they mean that creating a hotspot with 5GHz WiFi would pass along the faster 5G cellular data transmission, if the phone is connected to a 5G cellular signal.

avon b7

"Prior to iPhone 12, Apple's smartphone was able to connect to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but limited hotspot duties to the 2.4GHz band."

I didn't even know this was the case up until now. I just assumed it was choosing between both frequencies and giving preference to 5GHz where possible.

Now I'm wondering what my non-iPhone does in when working as a hotspot. 

Curious. 

dewme

"... but limited hotspot duties to the 2.4GHz band"

I did not know that. Thank you!

kkqd1337

The tiny battery in the iPhone should last about 10mins as a hot spot

wonderful 

jdb8167

kkqd1337 said:

The tiny battery in the iPhone should last about 10mins as a hot spot

wonderful 

Or you could plug it in when your battery got low.