FP StaffNov 03, 2022 16:43:46 IST
Customers of Apple in India who have been waiting to enjoy 5G internet on their iPhones finally have a reason to enjoy. Apple has confirmed that the next update that they will be pushing out for iPhones, iOS 16.2 will bring 5G support to iPhone users in India using Airtel or Jio networks.
Apple has faced pressure from the Indian government to launch 5G support for iPhone users in the country. The company conceded a few weeks ago, saying that it would roll out 5G support with a software update in December. Apple has now confirmed that iOS 16.2 will include 5G support in India, and beta users will be able to try it out next week.
This updated timeline from Apple on 5G support in India also effectively confirms that iOS 16.2 will be available to everyone in December. This was previously reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says that iOS 16.2 is slated for a mid-December release.
Apple users on Airtel and Jio who participate in the Beta Software Program will be able to try out 5G after the update next week. The Apple Beta Software Program lets users try out pre-release software and experience the latest features before the software becomes publicly available.
India represents a growing market for Apple – the company touted strong growth in the country during its quarterly earnings report last week. One of Apple’s reseller partners in India also recently reported strong profit growth due to high demand for iPhone and MacBook orders.
iPhone users who are on Airtel and Jio’s networks can start using 5G internet once they update their devices. As of now, the iPhones that will support 5G include, the latest generation of iPhones that is the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro series, iPhone 13 series, and the iPhone 12 Series. People with iPhone SE 3 will also be able to use 5G.
The reason why Apple is pushing the iOS 16.2 update in India earlier than other countries is because Apple had some seriously good sales after the iPhone 14 series was launched in the country and the fact that they were pulled up by the government for not enabling 5G compatibility on time.
India’s biggest Apple and IT products distributor Redington Ltd on Thursday reported a 26% jump in September quarter profit on the back of buoyant domestic demand for phones, laptops and software. The iPhone reseller’s quarterly revenue rose to 190.51 billion rupees from 152.87 billion rupees a year ago, per the filing. Apple, its single largest vendor, accounted for 27 per cent of the revenue.
