Apple gearing up for iPhone 13 mmWave 5G demand, says Digitimes

Iphone 13 Colors
Iphone 13 Colors (Image credit: EverythingApplePro)

What you need to know

  • Apple has reportedly added another substrate supplier to its iPhone 13 supply chain.
  • Digitimes says 60% of iPhone 13 models sold will feature faster mmWave 5G.
  • Multiple previous reports Apple will expand support for the faster version of 5G with its next iPhone.

A new report from Digitimes echoes previous indications Apple will expand support for faster mmWave 5G with the iPhone 13, expected to debut later this year.

The report states:

Apple reportedly has enlisted AT&S as a new supplier of BT-based AiP (antenna in package) substrates for new 5G mmWave iPhones to be released later in the year, expanding to five the number of suppliers of the substrates, according to industry sources.The Austria-based maker, long a supplier of SLP (substrate-like PCB) mainboards and SiP (system in package) substrates for iPhones and other Apple devices, will join Semco, LG Innotek, Kinsus Interconnect Technology and Unimircon Technology to supply BT AiP substrates for the upcoming 5G mmWave iPhones, the sources said.

Digitimes says that 60% of iPhone 13 models sold could feature the faster variant of 5G, known as mmWave, currently only available to customers in the United States. Multiple previous reports indicate Apple is planning to expand support for mmWave. Digitimes has previously reported this as well as Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo, from our report in April:

A new report from highly-touted Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo says the iPhone 13 will bring support for the faster mmWave variant of 5G to multiple new countries.In a note seen by iMore, Kuo states 5G coverage will increase significantly in the second half of 2021, particularly when it comes to mmWave 5G, which is much faster than Sub-6GHz.

Kuo says support for mmWave 5G may come to Canada, Japan, Australia, and "major European mobile operators".

Stephen Warwick
News Editor

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9