From Apple To Xiaomi, OEMs Issue Timelines For 5G Software Updates

As 5G rollout gathers steam in the country, smartphone manufacturers have announced their plans to release software updates for their 5G phones beginning Diwali itself.

In a statement, Xiaomi India said that most of its devices will begin receiving over-the-air (OTA) updates by Diwali, adding that it aims to push out consistent updates to ensure 5G readiness of its devices.

“Currently, 100% of our 5G smartphone models support the NSA (non-standalone) network out of the box, wherein users can choose ‘Prefer 5G’ in network settings to connect to the 5G network. Whereas, for seamless SA (standalone) support, we have already started rolling out the FOTA (firmware-over-the-air) updates to select devices like Xiaomi 12 Pro 5G, Mi 11X Pro, Xiaomi 11i, Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge, among others. Most devices will start receiving OTA updates by Diwali,” Xiaomi India’s president Muralikrishnan B said.

A Samsung India spokesperson was quoted as saying that it would roll out updates across all its 5G devices by mid-November. 

On the other hand, Apple will also release software updates to enable 5G services on its iPhones from December onwards. A Reuters report noted that these upgrades will be pushed out for recent models such as iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE. 

“5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December…We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed,” Apple said in a statement.

Similarly, Google also said that it is ‘actively working’ with Indian telecom operators to enable 5G functionality on its Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6a devices at the earliest. 

The statements come close on the heels of a meeting convened by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Wednesday (October 12) to press smartphone manufacturers and telcos to speed up 5G adoption. The meeting reportedly saw officials directing these players to ‘prioritise’ the release of software upgrades for supporting the high-speed network.

Govt Steps In Amid Mounting Delays 

The MeitY meeting came amidst prolonged delays by smartphone manufacturers in pushing out software updates to enable 5G on smartphones. A large part of the reason has been that OEMs in the country are yet to upgrade their systems to support 5G adoption. 

Multiple reports previously claimed that several premier phones of Samsung and even the latest iPhone 14 do not have software support to enable 5G services. 

Amidst all the drama, both telcos and smartphone makers are currently holding talks to address issues related to deployment of the high speed network. 

Amid much fanfare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 5G services in the country on October 1. Going forward, the service is expected to be rolled out in a phased manner across 13 cities, with metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata slated to receive the services in Phase 1. 

The rollout comes within months of the mega 5G spectrum auction in August this year. In total, the government realised around INR 1.50 Lakh Cr in revenue via the sale, which saw participation from players such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, and Adani Data Networks.