Recent reports have suggested widespread WiFi connectivity problems with Apple’s latest iPhone 15 series, especially the 15 Pro and Pro Max models running iOS 17. However, a closer look indicates the issue is limited to specific circumstances.
iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max with Titanium Design, Price, Camera Upgrades, A17 and USB-C
The reports stem from some iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max users experiencing WiFi dropouts when connected to routers using the 5GHz band with 160MHz bandwidth enabled, the problem manifests as intermittent disconnects and lower speeds.
But this does not appear to be impacting all iPhone 15 models nor all wireless router configurations. Standard 80MHz 5GHz WiFi networks are unaffected, as are iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models which lack support for the faster 160MHz 5GHz channels.
The issue seems to arise from incompatibility between the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and certain routers when using the faster, but less common 160MHz WiFi channels. Users of routers from Asus, TP-Link and other brands have reported the problem.
Simply disabling 160MHz support on affected routers provides a workaround. Or configuring 160MHz as a secondary channel option after 80MHz improves reliability.
So while the iPhone 15 Pro series does seem prone to 160MHz incompatibility problems with some routers, this is a narrow issue. Most iPhone 15 owners connecting to typical 80MHz 5GHz WiFi networks should remain unaffected.
The M2 iPad Pro exhibits similar 160MHz incompatibility as it also supports those faster channels. But other iPhone models lack 160MHz support entirely, making them immune.
Impact of iPhone 15 Pro WiFi issues appears overstated. Only certain configurations lead to the connection problems. With proper router settings, most users should still benefit from the improved WiFi capabilities of Apple’s latest iPhones.
As high-bandwidth technologies like 160MHz continue to roll out, wireless technical challenges like this may occur. For most users, limiting to 80MHz on affected routers should provide a temporary workaround with only a minor impact on network speeds. Still, Apple likely needs to optimize how the iPhone 15 Pro WiFi handles cutting-edge 160MHz networks to provide a seamless experience.
Have you experienced any WiFi issues with your new iPhone 15? Let us know on X/Twitter. We’ll continue monitoring this story for any updates from Apple.
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