Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max users on Verizon experience 5G connectivity bug

Another bug has popped up to annoy iPhone 14 Pro users following the video recording issue that was fixed with the release of iOS 16.0.2. That bug caused the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to shake and make a grinding sound when recording video using a third-party app. 2022 has been the year of the bugs as Pixel 6 series users know. But as maligned as those two phones have been, it seems that Apple has some problems too including a new connectivity issue.

Several Reddit posts are passing along such tales such as this one from Redditor Spacewalk99 who writes, "I think it is something with the new iPhones. My signal is usually 1 to 2 bars at home with a 14 pro, but my brother is on my plan with an iPhone 13 and when he’s over he has all 4 bars. His 13 also gets much better speeds on 5G than I do currently. Hopefully it’s something an iOS update will fix."

Before we start blaming Apple for this, the problem seems to occur over Verizon's 5G network. Reddit member Chris44344 says, "I’m in Georgia as well and my data speeds have been quite a bit faster on my iPhone 14 Pro Max compared to my 12 Pro Max. However, Verizon’s data network overall isn’t good most of the time around here so you’re probably in a congested area. I’ve found that T-Mobile offers significantly faster data speeds in Georgia and AT&T is more consistent. Either are better choices over Verizon."

On the other hand, there have been several posts on Reddit blaming the 5G modem on the new iPhone 14 Pro models. Here is one such post written by Redditor GatorBehr. "Interesting. I was experiencing something similar. I recently switched from iPhone (13 Pro) to Android (S22 Ultra) and I have noticed that at a lot of the places I was pissed at Verizon for their "shitty service" may have just been my iPhone."

He adds, "On the flip side, I've noticed WiFi stability is much worse on my S22 than it ever was with Apple. One step forward, one step back...but I suppose I prefer a better network experience if it's got to be one or the other."

One of the biggest connectivity issues with the new iPhone 14 Pro models seems to be their inability to connect to Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband signals. Several people wrote on Reddit that they were able to connect to Verizon's mid-band 5G airwaves with their iPhone 12 Pro or 13 Pro but in the same area with their shiny new iPhone 14 Pro model, it was no dice. And this is important because there is a huge difference between Verizon's nationwide 5G and the Ultra Wideband 5G.

For example, recently yours truly had the unfortunate experience of passing out with COVID which won me a trip to Salem Hospital. The good thing about being admitted there was the ability to receive Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband signals via my Pixel 6 Pro. So being the phone nerd that I am, I checked with the Speedtest.net app and Verizon's nationwide 5G delivered download data speeds topping out at around 40Mbps. The 5G Ultra Wideband speeds were more than ten times faster (over 400Mbps).

So you can understand why iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max users might not feel that great about being able to receive the faster 5G signals on their older phones but not on the newer handsets that they spent four figures on. And who do we blame this latest debacle on? Is it Apple's fault or is it something that can be pinned on Verizon?  That remains to be seen.

As for now, it's just another maddening bug driving iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max owners crazy.