iPhone 16: Qualcomm's Latest 5G Modem May Be Limited to Pro Models

Qualcomm's latest cellular modem may be limited to the iPhone 16 Pro models this year, according to technology analyst Jeff Pu.

iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature
In a research note today with investment firm Haitong International Securities, Pu reiterated his belief that the iPhone 16 Pro models will be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X75 modem. However, he expects the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to retain the Snapdragon X70 modem found in all iPhone 15 models. This modem differentiation between the standard and Pro models would be a change in strategy for Apple.

Announced in February 2023, the Snapdragon X75 features improved carrier aggregation and other technology advancements for faster 5G download and upload speeds compared to the X70. The modem's combined mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G transceiver takes up 25% less circuit board space, and uses up to 20% less power, according to The Verge.

The Snapdragon X75 also supports the latest "5G Advanced" standard, which is described as "the next phase of 5G" and an "evolution towards 6G." 5G Advanced will include artificial intelligence and machine learning enhancements for improved 5G performance, and it will also expand 5G to additional device types and use cases.

Apple is likely to advertise 5G Advanced support on the iPhone 16 Pro models, like it did with LTE Advanced on the iPhone 6s in 2015.

Apple is rumored to have been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, but the project has reportedly faced development challenges, and the modem is not expected to be announced until 2025 or later should it ever materialize. In the meantime, Apple extended its 5G modem agreement with Qualcomm through 2026.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 16 lineup in September.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...

Top Rated Comments

gco212 Avatar
16 months ago

The deal on regular iPhones keeps getting worse.


People need to figure out that Apple is currently doing a Jedi Mind Trick, the normal iPhone is now the iPhone SE and the iPhone Pro is the normal iPhone. They're selling year old tech in the normal iPhone but pretending it's still the bleeding edge.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
16 months ago
I get that Apple needs to have "special" features on the Pro to get people to buy the more expensive models, but have phone upgrades gotten so underwhelming that Apple is resorting to "you better get the Pro or you won't have the cooler modem?" ?

(clearly all the cool kids have the X75 and not the X70 modem... I guess...? ?)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cdsapplefan Avatar
16 months ago
Apple has to cut costs somewhere to appease shareholders
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
User 6502 Avatar
16 months ago
It’s just pathetic at this point. Just get rid of the pro model and go back to when there was a single flagship iPhone each year.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
16 months ago

5G Advanced will include artificial intelligence
So, 5G Advanced was actually originally going to include blockchain technology, but they had to pivot to AI instead because that’s the latest thing now. HYPE!!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
16 months ago
Gotta have some excuse to charge $1,200 for the top-end model ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)