iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Developer Tool Can More Heavily Prioritize 5G Versus Wi-Fi Connections

[MacRumors]

Apple today released a new developer tool that is designed to force devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 to prioritize a 5G connection over a WiFi connection when on an insecure WiFi network or when a WiFi connection is slow.

5G devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 can automatically prioritize connecting via 5G instead of WiFi when the performance of WiFi networks you visit occasionally is slow, or when you are connected to captive or insecure WiFi networks. Install the 5G Preferred Over Wi-Fi profile ("profile") on devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Beta 4 or greater to greatly increase the likelihood of seeing 5G preferred over Wi-Fi connections and to ensure your networking path logic is optimized for situations where 5G will be preferred. For more information, see https://developer.apple.com/5g/.

Apple says that developers who want to prioritize 5G usage on their devices can do so by running the fourth beta of iOS 15/iPadOS 15 or later and downloading the 5G Preferred Over WiFi Profile.

In iOS and iPadOS 15, Apple has already added a new feature that causes 5G devices to automatically prioritize 5G when it provides an improved connection over WiFi, so this developer tool should boost that capability even further.

Article Link: iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Developer Tool Can More Heavily Prioritize 5G Versus Wi-Fi Connections

 

[ilikewhey]

gotta make sure that connection for icloud upload is stable so CSAM right?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Nice! But what about WiFi 6E? Isn't that faster and more reliable than 5G.

 

[nutmac]

Shouldn't Wi-Fi Assist setting do the same thing? The feature is described as "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connection is poor."

 

[The Barron]

Nice! But what about WiFi 6E? Isn't that faster and more reliable than 5G

Wait! Sign up for the coming-soon-to-a-cell-tower-near-you, the hottest connection ever - the 10g. It's smokin up the test labs. 🤣

 

[hasanahmad]

gotta make sure that connection for icloud upload is stable so CSAM right?

counterpoint: gotta make sure pedophiles are caught faster

 

[turbineseaplane]

Burn battery burn baby!

 

[DeepIn2U]

Honestly I'd like iOS to properly fix this issue.
coming across a public Wi-Fi access point that needs authentication, even if 'forget network' has been done, iOS will still 'CLING' onto that network causing a delay in loading websites in Safari or a delay in any 1st/3rd party apps installed.

McDonald's
Tim Hortons
Starbucks etc. ALL need end user interaction to authenticate BEFORE you can use that internet connection.

This has been a LONG standing pain point on iOS.

Connection to an access point is just that, it doesnt' mean you're connected to the internet: On-ramp to a highway can STILL be closed and prevent your car/suv/truck etc from getting the full internet super highway. This is like basic 1984 stuff why is this so hard for Apple to figure out?!

 

[DeepIn2U]

Nice! But what about WiFi 6E? Isn't that faster and more reliable than 5G.

It isn't everywhere you'll go with your iPhone or other smartphone. Hence why 3G/4G/5G/6+ should ALWAYS have priority - not all access points connect you to the internet but iOS seems to hold onto just the connection for WiFi when it may not be valid for internet (public hotspots needing agreement page interaction and acceptance).

 

[Airforcekid]

Honestly I'd like iOS to properly fix this issue.
coming across a public Wi-Fi access point that needs authentication, even if 'forget network' has been done, iOS will still 'CLING' onto that network causing a delay in loading websites in Safari or a delay in any 1st/3rd party apps installed.

McDonald's
Tim Hortons
Starbucks etc. ALL need end user interaction to authenticate BEFORE you can use that internet connection.

This has been a LONG standing pain point on iOS.

Connection to an access point is just that, it doesnt' mean you're connected to the internet: On-ramp to a highway can STILL be closed and prevent your car/suv/truck etc from getting the full internet super highway. This is like basic 1984 stuff why is this so hard for Apple to figure out?!

I've only ever had to do those sign ins one time. I did Starbucks as an example in 2017 and haven't seen a prompt since anywhere in the US same for all the airports I go through. I do always use a VPN which may bypass some but I still see the authentication pages on new networks with it enabled. Another good reason to turn WIFI and Bluetooth off when not in use in my opinion as well.

 

[apparatchik]

It isn't everywhere you'll go with your iPhone or other smartphone. Hence why 3G/4G/5G/6+ should ALWAYS have priority - not all access points connect you to the internet but iOS seems to hold onto just the connection for WiFi when it may not be valid for internet (public hotspots needing agreement page interaction and acceptance).

Isn’t there a toggle that prevents iOS from connecting to unkown / public networks and to prevent from even asking?

 

[mariusignorello]

Honestly I'd like iOS to properly fix this issue.
coming across a public Wi-Fi access point that needs authentication, even if 'forget network' has been done, iOS will still 'CLING' onto that network causing a delay in loading websites in Safari or a delay in any 1st/3rd party apps installed.

McDonald's
Tim Hortons
Starbucks etc. ALL need end user interaction to authenticate BEFORE you can use that internet connection.

This has been a LONG standing pain point on iOS.

Connection to an access point is just that, it doesnt' mean you're connected to the internet: On-ramp to a highway can STILL be closed and prevent your car/suv/truck etc from getting the full internet super highway. This is like basic 1984 stuff why is this so hard for Apple to figure out?!

The captive portal is a click through legal agreement between you and the provider, Apple will not program iOS to auto accept legal agreements on your behalf. If something were to happen on that network, such as a hack or data breach, they would be at fault but you signed an agreement. You would be unaware of this agreement because iOS signed it without your knowledge, causing an even bigger mess.

 

[rjp1]

counterpoint: gotta make sure pedophiles are caught faster

reality check: this will lead to 0 arrests of pedophiles.

 

[swm]

most 5G deployments are around the performance of 4G. which is not surprising, as 5GNR can squeeze maybe 10% more bw from the same amount of spectrum compared to 4G. so unless you are using 3.5GHz-ish midband with 80-100MHz continuous spectrum, wifi will be better.

the worst crime against technology was the hype around 5G. somehow the 'tech media' managed to glue together the coverage of low-band 5G, the network performance of mmWave 5G and the price point of DSS 4G/5G. now everyone wants to have multi gigabit performance with sub 5ms latency for free on the 700MHz band.

 

[MallardDuck]

Wonder what kind of kickback they're getting from the cellular carriers for all that data overage about to happen.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Shouldn't Wi-Fi Assist setting do the same thing? The feature is described as "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connection is poor."

Wi-Fi Assist is failover, or?
This new feature sounds a little more like load balance / policy based routing for certain stuff (e.g. route real time traffic over 5G if the WiFi has a high ping, but do the rest over WiFi where latency/jitter is not important)

 

[MallardDuck]

It isn't everywhere you'll go with your iPhone or other smartphone. Hence why 3G/4G/5G/6+ should ALWAYS have priority - not all access points connect you to the internet but iOS seems to hold onto just the connection for WiFi when it may not be valid for internet (public hotspots needing agreement page interaction and acceptance).

Absolutely not. A metered network should never have priority over an unmetered one unless a user explicitly activates it.

 

[MallardDuck]

Shouldn't Wi-Fi Assist setting do the same thing? The feature is described as "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connection is poor."

One of the first things I turned off. All too easy to blow past data limits (like the very first iOS update!)

 

[Ethrem]

Isn’t there a toggle that prevents iOS from connecting to unkown / public networks and to prevent from even asking?

Yes and anyone who cares about security should be using that.

 

[Ethrem]

most 5G deployments are around the performance of 4G. which is not surprising, as 5GNR can squeeze maybe 10% more bw from the same amount of spectrum compared to 4G. so unless you are using 3.5GHz-ish midband with 80-100MHz continuous spectrum, wifi will be better.

the worst crime against technology was the hype around 5G. somehow the 'tech media' managed to glue together the coverage of low-band 5G, the network performance of mmWave 5G and the price point of DSS 4G/5G. now everyone wants to have multi gigabit performance with sub 5ms latency for free on the 700MHz band.

The crime was AT&T and Verizon using DSS to claim 5G, slowing down both 5G and LTE customers in the process, while T-Mobile was busy deploying an actual faster and decently available midband network.

The midband network T-Mobile has available around my little city pumps 250+Mbps all day with peaks around 550Mbps and latency rarely goes over 20ms compared to LTE speeds that average 20Mbps and peak at 100Mbps with latency 25-175ms with an average around 70ms. It’s a noticeable improvement and it’s the fastest network here hands down.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Absolutely not. A metered network should never have priority over an unmetered one unless a user explicitly activates it.

Well, it's not metered for everyone... some of us have flatrates. The real joke here is that in the 21st century the current cost/MB in currently booked in network is not automatically visible to the customer in realtime -and also not to the phone to make a logic decision.
IMHO the network providers should be forced to implement a protocol to display current cost/MB on the customers phone in real time.

 

[nutmac]

One of the first things I turned off. All too easy to blow past data limits (like the very first iOS update!)

Perhaps it could leverage Data Mode setting? If it is set to "Allow More Data on 5G", you are more likely on unlimited data plan and don't care all that much about saving data.

 

[Gwea22]

Nice! But what about WiFi 6E? Isn't that faster and more reliable than 5G.

yes- ironically my home network will connect for like 5-6 city blocks before it’ll switch to 5G. But during the time I’m outside of my apartment I have very slow internet for CarPlay/maps/etc

 

[Ethrem]

One of the first things I turned off. All too easy to blow past data limits (like the very first iOS update!)

Haha yeah I have 1GB of data in my plan right now because I’m always home with my 300+Mbps WiFi. I don’t think 1GB would last me two days on WiFi Assist.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Absolutely not. A metered network should never have priority over an unmetered one unless a user explicitly activates it.

The. You misunderstand the purpose of being “mobile” and what I stated.

firstly many people have unlimited data even if throttled to a limited “fair use” in North America and in Europe.

next as I stated earlier but you didn’t quote even your “unmetered” network - not your home, corporate, family/friends but public Wi-Fi (Timmies, Starbucks and malls) is actually throttled or limited in bandwidth and sites you may visit. THOSE require user interaction via a pop up invoked on iOS OR via first page loaded where you have to agree to terms and conditions. Without agreeing iOS tends to auto connect (since no password is listed) and stops your internet connectivity. Those networks ONLY grant internet after connection.

you may not notice driving by or in a drive through ordering products or at a traffic light. Those of us walking by or waiting at a public transit stop are affected. So I’m my opinion for THOSE networks yes the mobile network should have precedence.