Qualcomm's Snapdragon X65 Modem Upgraded With Wider mmWave Coverage Ahead of Inclusion in 2022 iPhones

Qualcomm today announced it has upgraded its Snapdragon X65 5G modem with improved power efficiency and support for wider mmWave carriers, a key requirement ahead of the rollout of 5G mmWave networks in China.

qualcomm snapdragon x65
Specifically, the modem now supports wider 200MHz carrier bandwidth in the mmWave spectrum and mmWave in standalone (SA) mode, while new power-saving technologies part of Qualcomm 5G PowerSave 2.0 allow for longer battery life. These enhancements are possible because the Snapdragon X65 has software-upgradable architecture, allowing for improvements to be made to the modem over time.

First introduced in February, the Snapdragon X65 is 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, as part of a multiyear chipset supply agreement with Qualcomm, building on the Snapdragon X55 in the iPhone 12 lineup and likely the Snapdragon X60 in the iPhone 13 lineup.

As with the Snapdragon X60, the Snapdragon X65 can aggregate data from mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to achieve an optimal combination of high-speed and low-latency coverage, resulting in an improved 5G experience on the iPhone.

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.

The Snapdragon X65 could be the last Qualcomm modem used in iPhones, as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and other sources have forecasted that Apple may be ready to switch to its rumored in-house 5G modem for iPhones starting in 2023.

Related Roundups: iPhone 13, iPhone 14
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

ghostface147 Avatar
37 months ago

What will this year's iPhone be rolling out with?
Exactly what it says in the article.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
37 months ago

I thought Apple was moving towards producing it's own chip for iPhones?
As much as I like Apple and have immense respect for what they've created regarding M-series processor chips, I'm skeptical they'll be able to produce modem chips that will outperform or equal Qualcomm's.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pianostar9 Avatar
37 months ago

I thought Apple was moving towards producing it's own chip for iPhones?

The Snapdragon X65 could be the last Qualcomm modem used in iPhones, as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and other sources have forecasted that Apple may be ready to switch to its rumored in-house 5G modem for iPhones starting in 2023 ('https://www.macrumors.com/2021/05/10/kuo-apple-designed-5g-modem/').
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IIGS User Avatar
37 months ago

I don't see mmWave ever being viable in the US given how suburban US society is. You need access points on top of every street light, and that's not going to happen in the suburbs. And then there's the attenuation from walls, ruining things for anyone indoors. There are very limited use cases for mmWave, such as sporting arenas or concerts.
I suppose it depends on where you live and travel.

I live in the suburbs where MM wave is non existent, however. The beach resort towns I frequent in MD and DE have substantial deployments of MM wave 5G. So does the area where the hospital I go to in the city for my regular follow ups and imaging.

Last time we were down the beach, I skipped the hotel WIFI and put my phone near the balcony and used that connection to remote into my work computer to take care of some urgent issues. I do the same when I am at the hospital. I basically work from the café that is street facing second floor and remote in. My boss allows it, and it saves me from burning sick time for follow up tests.

I use it more than just around the stadiums and in concert venues. I could remote in on LTE just fine, but the difference in performance is noticeable.

MM wave will never be and "everywhere" thing, but with so many FTTP deployments out there, the roof of every apartment building, light pole, and office building becomes a possible deployment.

It will take time, but I think the long term impact of MM wave technology is misunderstood by a lot of people.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mozumder Avatar
37 months ago
I don't see mmWave ever being viable in the US given how suburban US society is. You need access points on top of every street light, and that's not going to happen in the suburbs. And then there's the attenuation from walls, ruining things for anyone indoors. There are very limited use cases for mmWave, such as sporting arenas or concerts.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bodonnell202 Avatar
37 months ago

I don't see mmWave ever being viable in the US given how suburban US society is. You need access points on top of every street light, and that's not going to happen in the suburbs. And then there's the attenuation from walls, ruining things for anyone indoors. There are very limited use cases for mmWave, such as sporting arenas or concerts.
I think the purpose of mmWave is mostly to maximize bandwidth in areas were there is high density, including stadiums and urban centers - it's unlikely we would see it rolled out in the suburbs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
iphone reasons to upgrade

Apple Outlines 'Reasons to Upgrade' Your iPhone on New Website

Monday March 25, 2024 12:53 pm PDT by
Apple today added a "Why Upgrade" section to its website, which is aimed at encouraging customers with older iPhones to upgrade to a newer model. The website allows customers to compare the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each comparison shows what new features someone with an older...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...