New iPhone 15 Leak Reveals Stunning Apple Design Decision

Apple’s iPhone 15 range is shaping up to be its most exciting in years, but one of the most anticipated features now looks highly unlikely to happen.

According to a new DigiTimes report, all iPhone 15 models will exclusively feature Qualcomm-designed 5G modems. The news kills off ongoing rumors that Apple may be able to supply the first generation of its own hotly anticipated in-house 5G modem.

DigiTimes says TSMC will be the primary manufacturer of the Qualcomm modem, believed to be the upcoming X70, and it will be fabricated using the 5nm and 4nm processes.

Things have been looking bleak for Apple’s modem division for some time. The division, which Apple acquired from Intel for $1BN in 2019, was expected to be mass-producing iPhone 5G modems by 2023. Qualcomm previously stated that it only expected to supply up to 20% of iPhone modems by this date, though it upgraded that estimate to the “vast majority” of iPhone 5G modem chips in an earnings report last month.

That said, the news that Apple will fail to produce any iPhone 5G modems at all in 2023 will be a bitter blow for Apple’s chip teams, especially considering their exceptional track record with the A and M Series chips. Earlier this year, Bloomberg claimed that overheating is the biggest issue facing the Apple modem team.

Thoughts will now return to a report by influential industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in July, which claimed development of the Apple 5G modem “may have failed.” A conclusion that was treated with some skepticism at the time.

The good news is Qualcomm’s X70 has been labeled a ‘Game Changer.” This is due to its use of standalone mmWave 5G (capable of speeds up to 8.3 gigabits per second), sub-6GHz carrier aggregation (delivering speeds of up to 6.0Gbps on more widely available 5G spectrums), and ‘Smart Transmit 3.0’ technology, an upgradable system-level feature which improves power management.

Leaks surrounding Apple’s iPhone 15 line-up have also revealed an array of impressive design and feature upgrades. So much so that if you’re still undecided about buying an iPhone 14 model (especially considering their ongoing problems), I would strongly suggest you wait for their 2023 successor — even if another price rise is likely.

More on Forbes

MORE FROM FORBESPrices For Apple’s 2023 iPhone 15 Ultra May Start From $1300By Gordon Kelly