The iPhone 15 you buy in the UK has a hidden difference to US handsets – and you might only notice on holiday
THE iPhone 15 you buy in the UK has a little-known feature missing compared to those across the pond.
For the most part you won't notice any difference.
But people visiting friends in the US might detect a small but significant variation.
And it's not new to iPhone 15 either.
This subtle difference has been going on since 2020's iPhone 12.
US models of iPhone support something called mmWave 5G bands.
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These are a different type of 5G frequencies that are supposed to make connection speeds much faster at short distances.
So it's perfect for built up urban areas.
The alternative, known as sub-6GHz 5G, is generally slower, according to .
Apple has decided to make mmWave 5G exclusive to the US.
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But there's a good reason for it.
Most countries don't have the tech for mmWave 5G.
Aside from the US, only Australia, China, Japan, and Singapore can handle it.
So the company has decided there's no point including something people can't use.
It's not the only difference between iPhones in the UK and the US.
Handsets bought in the US don't have a SIM-card tray either.
Instead, Americans have to use eSIM, which doesn't require a physical SIM card.
Across the rest of the world, owners still have a SIM card tray and have the added option of eSIM too.
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