New iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 developer tool aggressively prioritizes 5G over Wi-Fi

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS edited August 2021
A new iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 profile released on Wednesday affords developers greater control over device connectivity, allowing 5G-enabled iPhones and iPads to select the wireless standard when nearby Wi-Fi networks are slow or insecure.

5G


The tool comes in the form of a profile that can be downloaded from Apple's developer website. Called the "5G Preferred Over Wi-Fi profile," the option automatically prioritizes 5G over Wi-Fi.

"5G devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 can automatically prioritize connecting via 5G instead of WiFi when the performance of WiFi networks you visit occasionally is slow, or when you are connected to captive or insecure WiFi networks," Apple says.

The description nearly mirrors text from Apple's iOS 15 Preview website detailing an upcoming feature that enables automatic prioritization of 5G under certain circumstances.

While Apple has not revealed the exact threshold that must be crossed for a device to switch from Wi-Fi to 5G, the new developer tool is thought to apply a more aggressive algorithm than the feature baked in to iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

"Install the 5G Preferred Over Wi-Fi profile ("profile") on devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Beta 4 or greater to greatly increase the likelihood of seeing 5G preferred over Wi-Fi connections and to ensure your networking path logic is optimized for situations where 5G will be preferred," according to Apple.

MacRumors spotted the profile earlier today.

Apple is expected to release iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 alongside a new slate of iPhone models this fall. High-end versions are rumored to include circuitry that will expand iPhone's 5G capabilities, specifically mmWave 5G compatibility, beyond the U.S. and into important regions like Europe.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,146member
    ...might this be yet another Apple tethering data mining access 'upgrade'...?
    edited August 2021
  • Reply 2 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    I have an Xr (not a 5G phone) and wish they would offer this for 4G.
    When I'm in my driveway or back porch, often the Wifi signal is so weak things like videos and Apple Music won't load.  But, if I turn off WiFi, 4G works just fine.

    If the phone cut over to cellular sooner it wouldn't be a problem.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 9
    tylersdadtylersdad Posts: 310member
    We have 5G towers all over the place here, but 5G is still pretty flaky. It’s bad enough that I turned it off. With 5G on, my phone rarely worked. With 5G off, it rarely fails. 
    llamawatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 9
    M68000M68000 Posts: 728member
    I think I’ve usually read that wifi is better when it comes to using less power.  Until some company has a 3 or 5 day battery in a phone, power is always something to think about.  Also,  certain types of 5g are even worse than others ?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 9
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    It will be very bad for those “smart devices” using Wi-Fi connectivity!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 9
    jimh2jimh2 Posts: 620member
    M68000 said:
    I think I’ve usually read that wifi is better when it comes to using less power.  Until some company has a 3 or 5 day battery in a phone, power is always something to think about.  Also,  certain types of 5g are even worse than others ?
    Mine last 3-5 days now, but I don’t spend my time on social media and other battery wasters. Put the phone down, leave it at home and live. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 9
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,286member
    GeorgeBMac said:
    I have an Xr (not a 5G phone) and wish they would offer this for 4G.
    When I'm in my driveway or back porch, often the Wifi signal is so weak things like videos and Apple Music won't load.  But, if I turn off WiFi, 4G works just fine.

    If the phone cut over to cellular sooner it wouldn't be a problem.

    It does already. Make sure you have Wi-Fi  Assist enabled. Settings>Cellular
    Scroll all the way down to the bottom under your list of apps and enable. Description says "Automatically use cellular network when connectivity is poor."
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 9
    davgregdavgreg Posts: 1,037member
    Hopefully this will fix the problem I have had with my iPhone grabbing WiFi even when the WiFi has been turned off.
    I have the Comcast secure profile installed that allows secure WiFi in countless places- a definite advantage.
    The problem is that when driving around if the phone gets a whiff of a Comcast WiFi it will connect and prioritize it over the Cell Network (4G LTE and 5G).

    Yes, I know it can fully be turned off, but Apple made a mess when they took that away from the drop down selection.
  • Reply 9 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    mike1 said:
    GeorgeBMac said:
    I have an Xr (not a 5G phone) and wish they would offer this for 4G.
    When I'm in my driveway or back porch, often the Wifi signal is so weak things like videos and Apple Music won't load.  But, if I turn off WiFi, 4G works just fine.

    If the phone cut over to cellular sooner it wouldn't be a problem.

    It does already. Make sure you have Wi-Fi  Assist enabled. Settings>Cellular
    Scroll all the way down to the bottom under your list of apps and enable. Description says "Automatically use cellular network when connectivity is poor."

    Yeh, thank you.   I had forgotten about that.
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