Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Strokee

Suspended
Original poster
May 13, 2018
124
187
I guess I’m just curious as to how many people are factoring in upcoming 5G networks when making phone upgrade decisions. I’d really like to upgrade to the X plus next month, but it seems like a super rental with rumors of 5G phones/networks available in mid 2019.
 
Speed is good, right? From what I understand of 5G, it’s not just a “bit” of extra speed, it’s a significant boost of speed.

Sure it’s great but wouldn’t say would base on wether to upgrade or not. I get 110MB at work but don’t mean too much if it was 200MB
 
Couldn’t you do the upgrade program?
I could. I suppose anybody is basically on an upgrade program being on any of the major carriers...you’re just leasing the phones unless you keep them for 2 years or longer.
 
I’d just upgrade in September if you have an older phone anyway. I’m pretty sure even the iPhone X is capable of 600+ mbps anyway.
 
I’d just upgrade in September if you have an older phone anyway. I’m pretty sure even the iPhone X is capable of 600+ mbps anyway.
I have the X, but am missing having a larger screen and am hoping Face ID version 2 is a bit faster. But if the mobile 5G networks and phone options are readily available by mid 2019 or early 2020 it complicates the decision to upgrade.
 
I have the X, but am missing having a larger screen and am hoping Face ID version 2 is a bit faster. But if the mobile 5G networks and phone options are readily available by mid 2019 or early 2020 it complicates the decision to upgrade.
Oh yeah. Honestly I’d wait and see what the new X is gonna have. If it’s not much different I would recommend keeping your current X. That is what I’m gonna do.
 
Oh yeah. Honestly I’d wait and see what the new X is gonna have. If it’s not much different I would recommend keeping your current X. That is what I’m gonna do.
It’s really all about the X Plus and it’s price. If the price starts at $999.00 as rumored, I will have a decision to make (but for the 256 gb). If Apple starts it at $1,100.00 or higher, forget it...I’ll definitely wait for 5G.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Brandonjr36
I have the X, but am missing having a larger screen and am hoping Face ID version 2 is a bit faster. But if the mobile 5G networks and phone options are readily available by mid 2019 or early 2020 it complicates the decision to upgrade.
Once they are released you can look at the specs since for all you know they may be 5G ready.
 
If you live in China or South Korea, where they're rolling out 5G networks in 2020, then it might make sense to wait. In the U.S. and Europe, it's realistically 2021 or later before widespread rollout.
I have heard 2021 mentioned as the beginning of widespread rollout, too.
 
It’s really all about the X Plus and it’s price. If the price starts at $999.00 as rumored, I will have a decision to make (but for the 256 gb). If Apple starts it at $1,100.00 or higher, forget it...I’ll definitely wait for 5G.

The iPhone X Plus would likely be $1000 for the base model storage, the 256 GB would likely be priced higher, which is also rumored to even include 512 GB iPhone possibly as well.
 
I read that 5G may not get full coverage as it gets easily blocked. I would wait it out till it gets more stable and have better coverage than jump on a new phone next year that might get 5G. I say get the 2018 iphones, whichever version you plan to get. No harm in it, and it should have better 4G speeds than last year's iphones.
 
I guess I’m just curious as to how many people are factoring in upcoming 5G networks when making phone upgrade decisions. I’d really like to upgrade to the X plus next month, but it seems like a super rental with rumors of 5G phones/networks available in mid 2019.

Yes I will upgrade and not even give it a second thought until 5G is released. It will be only in select areas in the beginning of it's release so I have no worries at this point. (If need-be I would sell / trade in my current phone for new)
 
Last edited:
Oh yeah. Honestly I’d wait and see what the new X is gonna have. If it’s not much different I would recommend keeping your current X. That is what I’m gonna do.
I can't imagine there will be too many people upgrading from a 2017 X to a 2018 X, there just isn't enough improvement to justify the hit you would take on reselling the phone and the price of the new phone. I think the majority of people with an X that are upgrading are doing so because they want the bigger screen (myself included). If there was no X+ coming, there's no chance I would have upgraded this year.
 
If you live in China or South Korea, where they're rolling out 5G networks in 2020, then it might make sense to wait. In the U.S. and Europe, it's realistically 2021 or later before widespread rollout.
Widespread maybe, but many carriers have already said they will begin deploying the end of this year, and OP could be in one of those markets.
 
I’m waiting for 5g. I’ve always been in the “what’s next” state of mind where I don’t really enjoy what I’m using. I want the x plus, but realistically there isn’t ONE thing it can really provide me that my 8 plus doesn’t.
 
Widespread maybe, but many carriers have already said they will begin deploying the end of this year, and OP could be in one of those markets.

Those are 5G field trials being marketed as "deployment" for obvious reasons. AT&T and Verizon are fighting to be the "first" in order to win minds.

Qualcomm isn't shipping commercial 5G modem silicon until next year. Intel is about a year behind. So even if someone can get their hands on a 5G handset this year, they would be an alpha software and hardware tester.

Realistic schedule in the U.S.:
  • 2018-2019: field trials
  • 2019-2020: initial deployment
  • 2020-2021: widespread deployment
 
I guess I’m just curious as to how many people are factoring in upcoming 5G networks when making phone upgrade decisions. I’d really like to upgrade to the X plus next month, but it seems like a super rental with rumors of 5G phones/networks available in mid 2019.

I’m not. I’m getting the iPhone plus in September.

5g isn’t a factor for me, I remember when networks were upgraded to edge/gprs .

Realistically infrastructure being rolled out to actually make 5g worth it will take time. Atleast by 2020 at the earliest.

But having said that I’m still picking up a 5g mifi device as soon networks and operators offer it. Probably by end of 2019 or 2020.

Did The same with 3g and 4g.
 
It’s really all about the X Plus and it’s price. If the price starts at $999.00 as rumored, I will have a decision to make (but for the 256 gb). If Apple starts it at $1,100.00 or higher, forget it...I’ll definitely wait for 5G.

Xs+
64gb $999
256gb $1149
512gb $1349. :apple:
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.