The iPhone 13 will feature the Snapdragon X60 5G modem inside, according to the latest rumors. The chip is designed by Qualcomm and takes advantage of a 5nm manufacturing process that adds certain advantages over its predecessor. As usual in this type of technology, we will obtain connections with improvements on the latency, power consumption, and efficiency front.
iPhone 13 might have a Snapdragon X60 5G modem
When the first rumors of a 5G iPhone emerged, it was assumed that it would have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X60 modem. The truth is that the iPhone 12 was the first to have 5G in an Apple phone, but it did so thanks to a previous modem: The X55. With the new generation, the following improvements are expected.
- 5nm manufacturing process that makes it smaller.
- Possibility to combine mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to optimize the connection.
- Lower latency and higher speed as a consequence.
- Lower power consumption for longer battery life under 5G, although how much is not specified (it will depend on more factors).
Thanks to the litigation between Qualcomm and Apple a few years ago, as well as their subsequent agreement, we know some details about the plans with the iPhone. For example, the X60 is the modem that will be used in the 2021 launch, while by next year, we will see the X65. The latter would allow maximum download speeds of 10GB per second, increasing from the current 7GB per second.
Unsurprisingly, this deal could be modified although it does not appear that any other modems are up to Qualcomm’s standards. Mind you, Apple is expected to launch its own 5G communications chips (Apple bought the modem division from Intel two years ago) which are expected in 2023 iPhones. The same year the Qualcomm deal ends.
