Back in October 2020, the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple unveiled four new models in the iPhone 12 series. The new models are equipped with the Snapdragon X55 modem to enable 5G connectivity on these smartphones. Now, rumors suggest that the iPhone 13, which could be launched later this year is believed to arrive with a Snapdragon X60 5G modem according to DigiTimes..
Do note that Qualcomm has already announced the Snapdragon X65 5G modem but it seems that Apple won’t be using the latest modem, maybe to keep the cost low. Given that the X60 5G modem is manufactured using Samsung’s 5nm node, it should offer improved battery performance.
The X65 (the one which Apple skipped) is the world’s first 10 Gigabit 5G modem and antenna system for smartphones, enabling theoretical data speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. While real-world download speeds will certainly be slower than that, the X65 has many other benefits, including improved power efficiency, enhanced coverage for both mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands, and support for all global commercialized mmWave frequencies.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 modem detailed
Built on a 5nm process, the X60 packs higher power efficiency into a smaller footprint compared to the 7nm-based Snapdragon X55 modem used in iPhone 12 models, which could contribute to longer battery life. With the X60 modem, iPhone 13 models would also be able to aggregate 5G data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to achieve an optimal combination of high-speed and low-latency network coverage.
Since the X60 5G modem is manufactured by Samsung’s 5nm node, we can expect it to improve the overall battery performance. According to Qualcomm, with mmWave-sub6 aggregation, operators can dramatically increase their peak throughput to surpass 5.5 Gbps. iPhone 13 Details Out Having said that, the iPhone 13 models will aggregate 5G data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands at the same time. This way, the iPhone 13 will be able to achieve an optimal combination of high wireless data speeds and low-latency network coverage.
Earlier reports have revealed that the iPhone 13 will be accompanied by the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models. The advanced models are likely to support a 120Hz refresh rate and will use LTPO panels from Samsung. These panels can dynamically switch refresh rates between 1Hz to 120Hz depending on the type of content displayed on the screen. Eventually, this helps in minimizing the battery life.
Detailing on camera, the iPhone 13 Pro models could feature an upgraded ultra-wide-angle lens with a varying aperture of f/1.8 to ensure better low-light photography. Furthermore, a report noted that Apple could be in plans to expand the functionalities such as LiDAR scanners as well as mobile image stabilization sensors to further models from this year.
A recent report hinted that the Pro models in the upcoming iPhone lineup could have 1TB storage space. As of now, it remains to be seen if the company is in plans to increase the storage capacity of the base model to 128GB.
Furthermore, rumors suggest that the upcoming iPhone 13 models will come with a relatively smaller notch at the top of the display. The company is believed to feature an in-display fingerprint and according to Barclays analysts, there could be support for WiFi 6E.
Starting in 2023, Apple is expected to start using its own in-house 5G modems for iPhones.
