WiFi 6 & the iPhone 11

Ladies and gents, a new standard in Wifi was just announced, and here is why it matters … and who should care. Also, there are two new iPhones, and I have some opinions and advice for you.

First, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro are in stores now. They are both amazing phones, but are targeted towards different buyers. Apple introduced a new wide-angle lens, which is on both models of iPhone. So, essentially each phone gets the fancy new photo tool, but one model is focused on the everyday user and the other is not.

iPhone 11

Pros
- new wide-angle lens
- same chip and tech innards as the iPhone Pro
- 6.1 inch screen
- Wifi 6

Cons
- no third camera lens
- 6.1 inch screen puts it somewhere between the size of the iPhone Pro models
- only has standard image stabilization
- no 5G
- no USB-C

iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max

Pros
- all 3 camera lenses
- beautiful OLED display
- Wifi 6
- better camera zoom features
- dual optical image stabilization

Cons
- the price
- no 5G
- no USB-C

The iPhone 11 Pro is clearly targeted towards the advanced user. The camera setup has features increasingly targeted towards professional creators, photographers, and is becoming a viable DSLR camera replacement in some respects. App developers are now making accessing the advanced camera possibilities of the iPhone more accessible than ever. That is not to sell the standard iPhone 11 short, however. You can take the same great wide-angle, portrait, and panoramic shots that you can with the Pro … and record amazing 4k video as well. For most people, you will not notice a difference between the functionality of the two phones. Advanced users will, but there is also the price point to consider. At a base price of $699, the iPhone 11 shines. The Pro models don’t even start until you hit $1000.

Here is why you might not want to buy either phone. You see the lack of 5G with both models. According to news, Apple is not releasing a phone with that tech until next year. At that time, they will also be doing a major chassis redesign, possibly be adding USB-C and doing away with the lightning connector as well. Changing the connector will open the world of connecting external storage, displays, and other things that I have been enjoying on the current iPad Pro all year. Basically, if you are someone who purchases their phones outright, and is not on a payment plan, you’ll be wanting to sell this one and buy the new one next year. If you have the ability to suffer through a year of not having a wide-angle lens on your phone. Buy the next one. That will be worth your money, and have 5G … therefore making it compatible with the new 5G networks that are rolling out, and helping you get the most of your cellular plans.

Wifi 6

This new Wifi standard just started shipping this year, and isn’t even widely available yet, except for high-end wifi routers. But, the fact that Apple and the other manufacturers are starting to put Wifi 6 chips in their phones means that it’s time to consider a network upgrade in the near future. Wifi 6 will matter most for users who watch a lot of HD and 4k content, do a lot of file sharing, and have smart homes. I won’t get too nerdy in my explanation, but Wifi 6 lets your router handle a huge amount of data streams simultaneously, 4x higher network speeds, better battery life while on Wifi, and a dramatic increase in the number of devices that can connect to the network (smart homes). If you are buying the current generation of iPhone, and are wanting to maximize this new technology, you will absolutely need a new Wifi router at home. If you need some consulting on the best way to upgrade your home network experience, questions about devices, etc. Please get in touch!

- Hans