Qualcomm Debuts World's First 10 Gigabit 5G Modem, Destined for 2022 iPhones

Qualcomm today introduced the Snapdragon X65, the world's first 10 Gigabit 5G modem and antenna system for smartphones, enabling theoretical data speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. Apple will likely use the Snapdragon X65 in 2022 iPhones.

qualcomm snapdragon x65 10 gigabit 5g
While real-world download speeds will likely remain far below the peak of 10 gigabits per second, devices equipped with the Snapdragon X65 should see faster 5G speeds overall. The modem has many other benefits, too, including improved power efficiency, enhanced coverage for both mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands, and support for all global commercialized mmWave frequencies, including the new n259 (41 GHz) band.

As with the previous-generation Snapdragon X60, the X65 can aggregate data from mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to achieve an optimal combination of high-speed and low-latency coverage. The modem is paired with Qualcomm's new fourth-generation mmWave antenna module for extended mmWave coverage and power efficiency.

mmWave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it best suited for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas. mmWave support on iPhone 12 models is limited to the United States, but rumors suggest that iPhone 13 models may support mmWave in additional countries.

In 2019, Apple and Qualcomm settled a legal battle and reached a multiyear chipset supply agreement, paving the way for Apple to use Qualcomm's 5G modems, starting with the Snapdragon X55 in iPhone 12 models. Beyond that, a court document from the settlement revealed that Apple will likely use the Snapdragon X60 modem for 2021 iPhones, followed by the Snapdragon X65 in 2022 iPhones.

The Snapdragon X65 could be the last Qualcomm modem used in iPhones, as Barclays analysts and multiple other sources have forecasted that Apple will switch to its own in-house 5G modem for iPhones by 2023.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
maxresdefault

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options...

Top Rated Comments

laudern Avatar
57 months ago
Happy Gilmore accomplished that feat no more than an hour ago.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svanstrom Avatar
57 months ago
Practically speaking I need those speeds in my iPhone about as much as I need a smaller battery.

Anyone here that actually have a legit reason for such a speedy iPhone?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BuffaloTF Avatar
57 months ago

Practically speaking I need those speeds in my iPhone about as much as I need a smaller battery.

Anyone here that actually have a legit reason for such a speedy iPhone?
I see this moreso about freeing up the airwaves quicker to be able to serve more people before it slows. Using round numbers for ease... if my download takes 1 second instead of 10, a very simple view of this says 9 others can occupy my remaining 9 seconds at the same level of service that I had been given.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xxray Avatar
57 months ago

Practically speaking I need those speeds in my iPhone about as much as I need a smaller battery.

Anyone here that actually have a legit reason for such a speedy iPhone?
We’ve consumed the same amount of data online since the 90s. All of these speed increases are such a waste.

/s
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TarJac333 Avatar
57 months ago
Hmm.... I can already imagine it now..
2021: Huawei with Snapdragon X65
2021: Samsung with Snapdragon X65
2021: OnePlus with Snapdragon X65
2021: Huawei with Snapdragon X65
2021: Google Pixel with Snapdragon X65
2022: iPhone with Snapdragon X65: "Innovation"
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
57 months ago

Practically speaking I need those speeds in my iPhone about as much as I need a smaller battery.

Anyone here that actually have a legit reason for such a speedy iPhone?
On MR, need doesn’t necessarily enter into the equation. :D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)