These days are the season for new iPhones, and despite the new features and strong performance thanks to Apple's new processor, none of the new models support 5G networks – we expect that to be available in 2020 – but that doesn't mean there won't be an improvement in connection speed, as Apple announced that the three new phones: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max support next-generation Wi-Fi 6 connections.

The technical specifications of the phones published by Apple on its website indicate that all iPhone 11 versions support 802.11ax, which is the technical name for the sixth generation of Wi-Fi 6.

What is Wi-Fi 6:

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest version of the 802.11 wireless networking standard, which we usually call Wi-Fi. The current version that most devices probably use is 802.11ac, or Wi-Fi 5. But devices that support Wi-Fi 6 enjoy higher speed and greater efficiency than before.

What are the most important features of Wi-Fi 6:

Supports higher transfer speeds: It is 40% faster than the previous generation Wi-Fi 5.

Extends battery life: It helps sensors and other wireless devices conserve battery power by scheduling transmissions.

Better and faster performance in crowded places like airports and stadiums.

8 transmit channels: It allows devices to send more information per channel, increasing efficiency and reducing latency.

The high data transfer rate gives Wi-Fi 6 more bandwidth to speed up communication between multiple devices, and also introduces new technologies to help the standard manage these devices better without performance slowdown.

Will iPhone 11 phones provide faster internet connection?

Certainly, iPhone 11 and other devices that support Wi-Fi 6 – such as Samsung Galaxy S10 phones – will be able to take advantage of all the mentioned benefits, but only if they work with routers and access points that support Wi-Fi 6. However, you will not see any difference at all if you are still using Wi-Fi 5 routers. And certainly, Wi-Fi 6 routers are now available in the market, but they are still expensive, as is the case with any new technology.

Even if you get a router that supports Wi-Fi 6, you will not get the expected speed if the connection from the internet service provider is slow. For example, if the speed is 100 Mbps, that is your maximum speed, and Wi-Fi 6 cannot do anything to speed it up.

Currently, the average download speed in most countries is 120 Mbps, which is not close to the top speeds that the Wi-Fi 6 standard promises theoretically. Using a Wi-Fi 6 router on such a network is somewhat like driving a sports car on sand.

It is worth noting that Wi-Fi 6 is still in its early stages, as it has not been officially certified yet, but that will happen very soon.

Of course, support for Wi-Fi 6 helps future-proof the new iPhone lineup, but it is not a necessary feature yet, and you should not feel compelled to rush and replace your router.

However, the spread of fiber optic networks and other connections approaching gigabit speeds means that Wi-Fi 6 is likely to become more relevant to a large number of users over the next year or so. Now that the new iPhone 11 phones support this feature, you can expect more devices to follow suit, as Apple remains a strong driver in the smartphone market.

It is worth noting that Wi-Fi 6 networks have appeared in some public places this year, including: the Boingo Wi-Fi 6 network at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, which has been operational since last April.

If your phone supports the new standard, you can take advantage of fast public networks on the go. But if your phone still supports Wi-Fi 5, don't worry because Wi-Fi 6 networks are backward compatible with older Wi-Fi devices, but keep in mind that the connection will not be as fast or efficient when connecting to Wi-Fi 6 routers and access points.

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iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max Wi-Fi 6 Apple iPhone

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12 September 2019Last updated: 12 September 2019

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