The US version of the iPhone 17 is still different.

The new US versions of the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max support 5G mmWave. Photo: Gizmodo .

5G millimeter wave (mmWave) technology has been "exclusive" to the US version of the iPhone since Apple launched it in 2020. 5G mmWave is also gradually becoming more common in countries like Australia, China, South Korea, Japan, and some European countries. However, iPhone versions outside the US have not yet received the hardware update for this connection standard.

The reason could be that mmWave bands are less practical than lower bands, the form of 5G which is becoming more widely deployed around the world . It also entails higher costs for both network operators and terminal equipment manufacturers.

5G mmWave uses very high frequency bands, from 24 GHz and above, with short wavelengths. Therefore, it offers fast data transmission speeds, low latency, and the ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously.

However, short wavelengths have relatively poor coverage and difficulty penetrating obstacles. Walls, glass, even trees or the human body can degrade connection quality.

Therefore, mmWave requires a high density of base stations so that the terminal device has a direct "line of sight" to the base station, resulting in significant investment costs for network operators. Phone manufacturers like Apple will also have to spend more to integrate hardware that supports mmWave.

Carriers are reluctant to deploy 5G mmWave unless there are many devices that support it. Apple also doesn't see the need to bring mmWave to markets with low usage levels.

Currently, 5G using sub-6 GHz bands is the most common because it works well in urban, suburban, and rural areas. In most markets, including Vietnam, iPhones with 5G mmWave compatibility do not offer users any benefit due to the lack of telecommunications infrastructure support.

Unless there are major changes in 5G deployment worldwide, the likelihood of Apple changing its stance on mmWave is very low. To date, the iPad Pro M4 models have completely dropped 5G mmWave support, using only 5G modems for sub-6 GHz bands.

Similarly, the iPhone Air with Apple's own C1X modem also does not support 5G mmWave. Like the C1, the C1X modem is only compatible with 5G below 6 GHz.

Additionally, the iPhone 17 series also supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, while many flagship models only offer up to 6e. In Vietnam, users can also experience Wi-Fi 7 provided byFPT , with a maximum speed of 10 Gbps.