One of the oldest Apple iPhone 5 rumors around is the possibility that the sixth-generation smartphone would come with support for 4G LTE. Despite the lack of official confirmation, most tech insiders and analysts have always been confident the upcoming device would be the first iPhone to jump on the LTE bandwagon. Now it can almost be confirmed that this will be the case.
The Korea Times reported that premier South Korean carriers SK Telecom and KT are in negotiations with Apple to ensure the iPhone 5 would run on their 4G LTE networks. The source of the report were several unnamed officials from both carriers, who added that the deal should be finalized in due time. One of these executives had confirmed to the Korea Times that “KT is in negotiation with Apple to persuade the latter to support KT’s 1.8-gigahertz frequency in Korea for the upcoming iPhone.” However, it still isn’t sure whether Apple would be able to provide 4G LTE connectivity for Korean iPhone 5 buyers – doing so may require Apple to use a different modem for the Korean version, as most countries have varying LTE radio frequencies. The Korean market currently has 8 million 4G LTE users, a number which might double by December this year.
The iPhone 5 is rumored to come with a variety of other new specifications and features, including an enlarged 4-inch screen, a smaller dock connector, relocated headphone jack, iOS 6 and taller, thinner design. An improved battery is also being touted, although it might not be that as improved as expected, given the rumored 10 mAh increase. There still hasn’t been anything reported to counter the speculation of a September 12 unveiling and September 21 launch date for Apple’s newest smartphone, so we have less than a month remaining before finding out just how accurate all these rumors are.
