What you need to know
- The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will not support 5G in Dual SIM mode at launch.
- An internal document from Apple says that eSIM only customers will be able to use 5G at launch.
- An internal document from Verizon says Apple plans to add support for 5G in Dual SIM later this year.
Reported by MacRumors, Apple plans to bring 5G to iPhone owners using Dual SIM in a software update by the end of the year.
According to an internal document at Apple that was shared on Reddit, 5G will not be available to those using Dual SIM on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro when the device launches this Friday. If customers are using eSIM only, however, 5G should work just fine.
"Does 5G work with Dual SIM?" When using two lines in Dual SIM mode, 5G data isn't supported on either line and will fall back to 4G LTE. If customers are using eSIM only and are on a 5G supported carrier and service plan, they'll have 5G access.
However, according to an internal document shared with Verizon employees, Apple does plan to enable 5G in Dual SIM mode in a software update later this year.
According to an internal Verizon slide obtained by MacRumors, however, Apple plans to enable 5G support in Dual SIM mode with a software update later this year. In the meantime, Verizon says that eSIM customers must remove the physical SIM from their iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro to access its 5G network.
All of Apple's new iPhone models support 5G. In order to take advantage of the new speeds, iPhone 12 owners must ensure that they are on a 5G supported plan with their carrier. Apple also says that, for those who are traveling, they can access 5G internationally by purchasing a temporary plan and using either a physical SIM card or eSIM.
The new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are hitting store shelves and people's doorsteps this Friday, October 23. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max will go on pre-order on November 6 and be available on November 13, the same dates as the new HomePod mini.
