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Qualcomm's new X55 5G modem is ridiculously fast - but Apple probably won't use it

Qualcomm on Tuesday revealed a new modem, the Snapdragon X55, an updated 5G model with better performance — though it's unlikely to appear in Apple's iPhone anytime soon unless the two companies can settle their differences.

The X55 can hit download speeds up to 7 gigabits per second, and uploads as high as 3 gigabits, Qualcomm said. This is only under ideal 5G network conditions, but even slower performance should still be faster than most landline internet connections.

Other upgrades include support for "all major frequency bands" and more operation modes, such as 4G/5G spectrum sharing. That should make 5G phones more practical, able to hop networks and take advantage of any coverage growth. Power efficiency is promised through a 7-nanometer design and technologies like adaptive antenna tuning and 100-megahertz envelope tracking.

The first phones with X55 modems should ship in late 2019.

Once Apple's exclusive modem supplier, Qualcomm has been largely pushed to the sidelines because of a global legal battle between the pair over patents and royalties. The fight kicked off in January 2017, when Apple sued over nearly $1 billion in rebates it said were withheld as retaliation for cooperation with antitrust investigators. Private lawsuits are ongoing around the world, and various government bodies have pursued their own cases, sometimes leveling millions of dollars in fines. A trial brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, with Apple's help, concluded late last month.

The main exception to iPhone supply is in Germany, where Apple recently began selling modified iPhone 7 and 8 models with Qualcomm modems to skirt a device ban.

Apple's core modem supplier is now Intel. That company has lagged behind Qualcomm in 5G development, which in combination with small U.S. network coverage makes it likely that iPhones won't offer 5G until 2020.

21 Comments

racerhomie3 8 Years · 1264 comments

Firstly data packages need to be unlimited. 4G is already good enough for most smartphone applications. iOS also needs to allow App Store cellular downloads to be beyond 150mb to 500MB.

1 Like · 0 Dislikes
avon b7 21 Years · 8267 comments

Firstly data packages need to be unlimited. 4G is already good enough for most smartphone applications. iOS also needs to allow App Store cellular downloads to be beyond 150mb to 500MB.

Carriers will probably adapt at some point and offer virtually unlimited data (or far higher allocations) as long as the networks can handle the strain. There are plans in Spain that do not count WhatsApp traffic as part of your data allocation. It wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to envisage something like Netflix not impacting your data allowance in the future.

wood1208 11 Years · 2944 comments

I don't even get consistent and complete 4G LTE signal so who cares if modem can fly. It all depends on the network you using in place you live and work.

5 Likes · 0 Dislikes
ericthehalfbee 14 Years · 4493 comments

Pointless. As recent OpenSignal tests show carriers aren’t even providing a fraction of what current devices are capable of. It’s going to be years before they’re even close to 1/10th of this theoretical speed.

7 Likes · 0 Dislikes
sflocal 17 Years · 6164 comments

Absolutely irrelevant until the network operators upgrade their networks and by the time that happens, players like Intel will have caught up and new models of iPhones willl be out.

It could be 1tb/s and I wouldn’t care.

3 Likes · 0 Dislikes