When the iPhone 14 Pro Max was released last fall, it topped the charts for the fastest download speeds in multiple studies, beating rivals like Samsung’s Galaxy S22 smartphone. As it turns out, the iPhone 14 Pro Max lost the download speed crown to not just one, but two Android devices in the latest report.
Ookla released its latest mobile performance report, comparing major US carriers on download and upload speeds, consistency, availability, and more.
Another interesting comparison in the test is to look at download/upload speeds and latency for the most popular smartphones in the US in Q4.
While the iPhone 14 Pro Max won the speed crown in the third quarter with 147 Mbps download and 17 Mbps upload, things have changed in new Ookla research.
Fastest smartphones in the US by download speed
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 topped the list with a median download speed of 147.24 Mbps, and Google’s Pixel 7 Pro came in second with 137.11 Mbps.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max was third with 133.84, and the iPhone 14 Pro was 130.14 Mbps. Upload speeds and latency were very close, but the Pixel 7 Pro came out ahead with an upload speed of 15.53 Mbps and a latency of 50 milliseconds.
Another interesting result is that Samsung smartphones overall lead in the fastest median download speed compared to all iPhones, at around 7 Mbps.
Filmed by 9to5Mac
What’s interesting about the iPhone 14 Pro Max losing the fastest download speed crown is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 wins with the same performance we saw with the 14 Pro Max in Q3.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max’s median download speed eventually dropped from 147 Mbps to 133 Mbps, giving the Fold 4 and Pixel 7 Pro a one-two.
Since we’ve seen the iPhone 14 Pro Max run as fast as these two Android smartphones, one possibility is that more 14 Pro Max smartphones hit carrier coverage between Q3 and Q4 In the hands of customers in more regions where the range is slower.
In other words, at launch, there may be a higher percentage of iPhone 14 Pro Max users in metropolitan areas, which could skew download speeds higher in Q3 before stabilizing in Q4.
Regardless, all of the top smartphones between Apple, Samsung, and Google offer strong download speeds, averaging between 125 and 147 Mbps in Ookla’s tests.
related:
FTC: We use automated affiliate links to earn revenue. more.
Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: