It’s still very early for iPhone 15 rumors – with the iPhone 14 only launching last month – but we’re starting to hear a few rumors about what to expect next year. The last prediction of the comment concerns the 5G modem in the iPhone 15.
According to industry analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors (opens in new tab)), Apple plans to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 to bolster its 5G capabilities, up from the Snapdragon X65 that sits in the current iPhone 14 lineup.
The upgraded chip offers lower latency and consumes less power, and comes with a range of artificial intelligence optimizations that should mean better speeds and more reliable coverage regardless of a phone’s location.
Apple modem subscriptions
There is a subplot here, which is that Apple is known to develop its own 5G modem, in the same way it has developed its own processors for the iPhone. Pu thinks an Apple 5G chip is still a long way off.
Apple is also sticking with Qualcomm for its 5G modem needs in the iPhone 16 slated for 2024, Pu says. That should be the Snapdragon X75, although we haven’t heard anything about it at the moment.
After that, we could see a handset in 2025 with a full set of Apple-made chips inside – so consider this also the very first iPhone 17 rumor. Of course, we’ll keep you updated on any iPhone leaks and rumours in the meantime.
Analysis: Apple wants full control
Apple clearly likes to have as much control as possible over the hardware components that go into its devices: after years of making chipsets for the iPhone and iPad, it has now switched its Macs to Apple-made silicon as well.
The 5G modem in the iPhone is one of the few components still manufactured by a third party, but there’s no doubt that Apple wants to change that – that’s why it spent so much money in 2019 buying Intel’s 5G modem activities.
For whatever reason, the switching process is taking longer than might have been anticipated. There has been some speculation that an Apple 5G chip could appear in 2023, but that now seems less likely.
Eventually, though, it’s going to happen, and Apple hopes that by being in charge of all of its own hardware and software development, it can create products that run even more efficiently and smoothly.