As legal spat with Apple continues, Qualcomm teases ultra-fast 1.2Gbps LTE mobile chips
Apple supplier Qualcomm on Tuesday revealed a new LTE modem, the Snapdragon X20, which could push the limits of the cellular technology and theoretically appear in a 2018 iPhone --?if the chipmaker and Apple can get along.
Under ideal conditions the modem can hit downloads up to 1.2 gigabits per second, 20 percent faster than the X16, Qualcomm said. The speed boost was achieved with new carrier aggregation technology pulling in 12 data streams, each up to 100 megabits per second. Upload speeds are significantly slower, but still go up to 150 megabits per second.
Qualcomm is also promising high-quality calls on dual-SIM phones, and support for the 3.5-gigahertz band used by the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, in theory allowing use with private LTE networks.
The X20 is expected to ship in the first half of 2018, which could give Apple enough time to build it into iPhones shipping that fall -- if the company expects to continue business with Qualcomm.
Last month it filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, accusing the latter of withholding almost $1 billion in payments as punishment for cooperating with an investigation by the Korean government, which ultimately led to an $854 million fine. Apple further suggested that Qualcomm is abusing its market position to charge high royalties on standards-essential patents.
Apple is using Intel modems in GSM versions of the iPhone 7 however, and could conceivably divert orders away from Qualcomm if Intel can produce a comparable GSM/CDMA chip.
Under ideal conditions the modem can hit downloads up to 1.2 gigabits per second, 20 percent faster than the X16, Qualcomm said. The speed boost was achieved with new carrier aggregation technology pulling in 12 data streams, each up to 100 megabits per second. Upload speeds are significantly slower, but still go up to 150 megabits per second.
Qualcomm is also promising high-quality calls on dual-SIM phones, and support for the 3.5-gigahertz band used by the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, in theory allowing use with private LTE networks.
The X20 is expected to ship in the first half of 2018, which could give Apple enough time to build it into iPhones shipping that fall -- if the company expects to continue business with Qualcomm.
Last month it filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, accusing the latter of withholding almost $1 billion in payments as punishment for cooperating with an investigation by the Korean government, which ultimately led to an $854 million fine. Apple further suggested that Qualcomm is abusing its market position to charge high royalties on standards-essential patents.
Apple is using Intel modems in GSM versions of the iPhone 7 however, and could conceivably divert orders away from Qualcomm if Intel can produce a comparable GSM/CDMA chip.
Comments
The industry is more preoccupied with 5G as the new shiny technology to tout even faster (lab, not real world) speeds. Intel just came out a 5G capable modem, although it will be a couple years before we ever see it in a smart phone.
And Apple doesn't abuse it own market position of course!
I think his point is Apple is trying to force QCOM to sell to them, cheaper. No one is force Apple to buy QCOM modems would be the counter argument.......
Before I write this off as nonsense trolling, can you explain your claim? How is Apple abusing its minority market share? Be specific.
That doesn't mean they shouldn't challenge what they believe should be FRAND licensing terms. As Cook said, it makes no sense for a furniture company to charge more for a sofa if it's going in a more expensive house than a less expensive one. As a business Apple should absolutely challenge this.
If this is reasonable, correct etc is another question but prices could be far lower and Apple could still be one of the most profitable companies on the planet.