Iphone 12 5gSource: Apple

What you need to know

  • Apple's roadmap with Qualcomm modems has been revealed.
  • The company plans to use its modems in the iPhone until as far out as 2024.
  • It will likely include the X60 modem in the next iPhone.

Reported by MacRumors, Apple's roadmap for including current and upcoming Qualcomm modems in its iPhone has been revealed. While the company is currently using the Snapdragon X55 modem in its new iPhone 12 lineup, it plans to use Qualcomm modems for future products as far out as 2024.

As alerted to us by Danny Walsh on Twitter, page 71 of an Apple-Qualcomm settlement filing reveals that Apple intends to launch new products with the Snapdragon X60 modem between June 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022. Apple has also committed to using as-yet-unannounced X65 and X70 modems in products launched between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2024.

The settlement document between Apple and Qualcomm says that the company plans to use the X60 modem in future products until 2022 when it will switch to upcoming, but unannounced, SDX65 or SDX70 modems.

Apple intends to commercially launch (i) New Models of Apple Products during the time period between June 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021 (the "2020 Launch"), some of which use the SDX55 Qualcomm Chipset, (ii) New Models of Apple Products during the time period between June 1, 2021 and May 31, 2022 (the "2021 Launch"), some of which use the SDX60 Qualcomm Chipset, and (iii) New Models of Apple Products during the time period between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2024 (the "2022/23 Launch"), some of which use the SDX65 or SDX70 Qualcomm Chipsets (each a "Launch" and collectively the "Launches").

The new X60 chip is built on a 5nm process and will be able to aggregate data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands at the same time.

Built on a 5nm process, the X60 modem packs higher power efficiency into a smaller footprint compared to the X55. Smartphones equipped with the X60 will also be able to aggregate data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to achieve an optimal combination of high-speed and low-latency network coverage.

MacRumors notes that Qualcomm plans to feature the new chip in smartphones beginning in 2021, so today's report lines up with the reasoning that it will be featured in Apple's iPhone lineup next year.