Qualcomm has debuted its new 5G Snapdragon X70 modem, which is likely to be the last Qualcomm modem to be used in an Apple iPhone before the Cupertino firm transitions to its own custom in-house modems.
Qualcomm discusses the Snapdragon X70:
Snapdragon X70 inherits the unrivaled 10 Gigabit 5G peak download speed of its predecessor and packs in new, advanced capabilities such as Qualcomm 5G AI Suite, Qualcomm 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite and 4X carrier aggregation to achieve unmatched 5G speeds, coverage, signal quality and low latency. The Qualcomm 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite in Snapdragon X70 allows OEMs and operators to minimize latency for hyper-responsive 5G user experiences and applications.
“Our 5th generation modem-RF system extends our global 5G leadership and the introduction of native 5G AI processing creates a platform and inflection point for performance-enhancing innovations,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 5G, Mobile Broadband and Infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Snapdragon X70 is an example of how we’re realizing the full potential of 5G and making an intelligently connected world possible.”
The Snapdragon X70 is said to be capable of up to 10Gbps downlink speed and a peak 3.5Gbps upload speed, and it is up to 60% more power efficient, due to its 5G PowerSave Gen 3 technology. The modem also offers support for global 5G multi-SIM and Dual-SIM Dual Active.
The Snapdragon X70 modem is expected to launch in 5G devices by the end of this year. Whether or not the X70 will appear in the next(or any) iPhone model remains to be seen.
Apple settled a long-running legal battle with Qualcomm in 2020. The settlement includes a commitment by Apple to use the X65 and X70 modems in products launched between June 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024. That suggests the X65 may be used in this year’s iPhone 14, while the X70 may be used in the 2023 iPhone.
However, Apple is known to be working on its own 5G modem, as the Cupertino firm has purchased Intel’s modem business to provide a leg up on 5G development. Apple took over Intel’s modem-related intellectual property and hired 2,200 Intel employees. TSMC will handle the production of the majority of Apple’s in-house 5G modem chips.
