Apple takes a step toward lightning fast 5G

Apple is one step closer to the super-fast wireless networks of the future -- or at least being able to test them, anyway.

The company applied for a license to experiment with millimeter wave wireless technology, aka 5G, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to Business Insider. The future wireless tech is expected to massively expand networks' bandwidth and speed, which will likely make your iPhone much faster than it is today.

The application doesn't share many details about the tests. It does, however, state that testing "will provide engineering data relevant to the operation of devices on wireless carriers' future 5G networks."

The company plans to conduct the tests at two different locations in the Silicon Valley area, one in Milpitas and another close to the company's HQ in Cupertino, for no longer than a year.

Aside from prepping future iPhones for the 5G wireless networks of the future, it's not exactly obvious why Apple is testing the tech.

BI notes one of the bands Apple said it plans on testing, 28GHz, could potentially be used for Earth-to-space communications -- and Apple recently hired a pair of former Google satellite execs for a rumored hardware team, which could be closely tied to a potential pair-up with Boeing to create satellite-based networks, like SpaceX.

Apple didn't respond to BI when asked for comment, and has yet to answer our own requests for a statement on the application.