[News] Qualcomm Unveils X85 Modem, Promising Superior Performance Over Apple’s C1

Last month, Apple introduced its first in-house modem, the C1, in the iPhone 16e, marking a significant shift away from Qualcomm, which has supplied modems for iPhones for years. Qualcomm responded by unveiling its latest innovation at MWC, the X85 5G Modem-RF, as noted by a report from TechNews, citing CNBC.

The X85 supports 5G mmWave, offers 400MHz download bandwidth on Sub-6GHz frequencies, and includes satellite connectivity. According to TechNews, these features are absent from Apple’s C1 chip.

A report from Wccftech highlights that, compared to its predecessor, the X85 features a 5G AI processor equipped with a dedicated tensor accelerator, delivering a 30% improvement in AI inference speed. Additionally, the report states that the X85 offers download speeds of up to 12.5 Gbps and upload speeds reaching 3.7 Gbps.

One of its key features is its advanced AI capabilities. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon emphasizes that the X85 is the first modem with such extensive AI integration, enhancing its performance and allowing it to handle weaker signals more effectively, as cited in the CNBC report.

As reported by CNBC, Amon stresses that Qualcomm’s X85 modem will establish a significant performance gap between premium Android devices and iOS devices. He underscores that modems play a crucial role in AI capabilities and asserts that Qualcomm’s technology will enable better AI performance compared to Apple’s solutions.

CNBC reports that Amon restated his expectation that Qualcomm will cease supplying modems to Apple by 2027.

Apple’s Future Modem Plans

As noted by TechNews, Apple can currently only claim that its 5G modem offers better power efficiency compared to Qualcomm’s products. However, whether it can fully break away from Qualcomm remains questionable.

Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, Apple is already developing its second-generation 5G modem, which is expected to be featured in the upcoming iPhone 18 series.

The report states that by iPhone’s 20th anniversary in 2027, Apple aims to surpass Qualcomm in modem performance and AI capabilities. It also plans to merge the 5G modem with the main processor, creating the ultimate all-in-one mobile chip, as noted by Bloomberg.

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(Photo credit: Qualcomm)