There is a mysterious patch on the edge of the U.S. models of iPhone 12 and according to explanations, it has something to do with 5G.
Apple has finally launched the iPhone 12 family during its "Hi, Speed" event on Tuesday and industry observers were glad that most of the rumors that circulated weeks or even months before were actually true. However, most of them were puzzled by the mysterious patch that appeared on the edge of the U.S. models of the iPhone 12 family. Images that appeared in other countries did not have the groove and so experts scrambled to find out. It turns out that the mysterious groove on the U.S. model of the iPhone 12 is the window for its mmWave 5G antenna.
Apple fans already noticed the mysterious groove some months back in leaked diagrams of the iPhone 12. At that time, no one associated the patch with 5G or even have an inkling that it is actually a window for the mmWave 5G antenna. At the time, most thought the mystery patch may contain a Smart Connector or even a docking area for a tiny Apple Pencil due to its similar look to the magnetic Apple Pencil attachment section found on iPad Pro models. During the unveiling of Apple's iPhone 12 family in the company's "Hi, Speed" event, it was only then that it became clear only the U.S. models of the new iPhone have the mystery patch.
Speculations about the mysterious groove being the docking area of a small Apple Pencil or containing a Smart Connector were immediately quashed during Apple's "Hi, Speed" event as new rumors surfaced that it was, after all, for a 5G antenna or a window for the mmWave 5G antenna. The reason why the mystery patch is only found on the U.S. models of the iPhone 12 is that the device does not support mmWave 5G outside of the U.S. If you check the frequency bands page of Apple, you will notice that n260 and n261 bands compatibility are missing everywhere else in the world.
If it were so, then why make it visible that it appears like a mysterious groove on the U.S. models of the iPhone 12? Some fans also went further to say that Apple could have simply made it look like the international model so there will be no questions asked. Sources at Apple, however, have a simple explanation for this. Engineers at the Cupertino-based tech giant made the mysterious patch, which turned out to be a special window for the mmWave 5G antenna, appear conspicuously so users would immediately notice it and perhaps, avoid holding the area for the device to achieve maximum signal strength.
Can confirm that this little thing on the side of the new iPhone is a mmWave antenna window! pic.twitter.com/Gjdj6SfWGy — nilay patel (@reckless) October 13, 2020
The fact that Apple's specs page do not contain any label that explains what the mystery patch is only added to the mystery and confusion for some. Nevertheless, as information about the mysterious patch being the window of the mmWave 5G antenna on the U.S. models of the iPhone 12 apparently satisfied the quizzical minds of Apple fans.
