Qualcomm have always been the best modems. Very disappointing that Apple is trying to incorporate inferior technology in iPhone. Apple always has to try and save a few cents - and yet still charge the highest price for a product.
It is not likely Apple will ever exceed Qualcomm. Qualcomm has so many patents for technology needed for peak modem performance. Very unlikely so I guess I will end up switching to Samsung in a couple of years.
Like Apple, Qualcomm doesn't just make modems. They also make mobile ARM processors. But when it comes to chip silicon design they are the leader in performance per/watt. So maybe Qualcomm will be a bit faster but Apple's modem will be less expensive, consume less power and take up less space inside the iPhone. In the end, the difference in speed may not matter much.
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