Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deliver significantly faster 5G speeds compared to last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, according to new data from SpeedSmart (via MacRumors). The new Pro model iPhones use the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem.
SpeedSmart’s testing revealed an overall average 23.7% increase in 5G download speeds for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max across the three major U.S. carriers. Verizon customers saw the largest increase, with a 26.4% speed increase, followed by AT&T and T-Mobile.
The download speeds were as follows:
Upload speeds also saw a significant increase, with an average increase of 22.1% across all three networks. Upload speeds were comfortably over 30 Mbps.
In addition to raw speed, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem brings several other improvements. The modem offers support for 5G Advanced technology, boasts lower power consumption, and offers improved 5G carrier aggregation, which is responsible for those faster upload speeds.
While the iPhone 16 Pro models benefit from the X75, the other two iPhone 16 models, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, are believed to use the older Snapdragon X70 modem, although that has not yet been confirmed.
While Apple is using Qualcomm 5G modems in the iPhone 16 lineup, the Cupertino firm continues to develop its own 5G modem. Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said Apple’s in-house 5G modems could be ready for select iPhone models as early as 2025. This indicates that Apple could use its self-made modems in the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE.
