Apple took a big step forward by adding 5G connectivity to the iPhone 12, and may push it further with the iPhone 13. In fact, Apple may have to expand its supply chain to supply all the necessary 5G components.

This is according to a DigiTimes report that Apple is trying to bring more 5G suppliers under its umbrella. This is believed to be related to existing rumors that the company will offer mmWave 5G in new countries.

DigiTimes reports that Apple's plan is to increase the number of mmWave 5G devices to include 60% of its 2021 iPhone lineup. According to estimates, this would be nearly 90 million units.

Sources also told DigiTimes that each mmWave iPhone 13 requires four AiP (Antenna in Package) modules, which drives demand. Therefore, Apple is reportedly working with five different AiP substrate suppliers.

The iPhone12 was already capable of offering both sub-6Ghz 5G and the considerably faster mmWave 5G connection. mmWave is considered the better of the two because it can offer significantly faster speeds than sub-6 or 4G/LTE connections. [However, mmWave signals do not reach very far and have problems passing through walls, so it is not as reliable (or widely available) as sub-6 5G, which is not subject to the same limitations.

The iPhone 12's mmWave connection was only available in the US, and the rest of the world had to stick with sub-6 5G, regardless of whether mmWave networks were available in their area. However, that situation is changing.

Apple analyst Min Chi-Kuo has already reported that international iPhone users will also be able to use mmWave 5G; this report on the increase in mmWave-enabled devices seems to confirm that.

The only question is which countries will support mmWave with the new iPhone 13. mmWave's unreliable nature has many of the world's carriers focusing on 5G infrastructure below 6G to allow some 5G to reach more people . As a result, there are a number of major countries with zero mmWave coverage, such as the UK.

Still, as more iPhones become available with mmWave networks, carriers may gear up and expand their mmWave 5G deployment.

There should also be a notable 5G upgrade for those in the US, as the iPhone 13 will likely feature a new Qualcomm X60 or X65 modem. This modem will combine the sub-6 GHz band with millimeter wave for even better performance.