Not every iPhone is created equal. Dual-sourcing parts is fairly common, especially in the mobile space. Samsung, for instance, is known to have separate models of the same phone, with some using its own parts, and others using third-party components. Apple has even designed separate versions of the same SoC in the past, to fabricate them at different locations and on different process technologies.
This case is more simple than that, though. Depending on the specific iPhone 7 that you get, which mostly varies by region and carrier, but also apparently between Plus and regular, you will either get a Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 modem, or you will get an Intel XMM 7360 modem. The ratio between these two parts, all markets considered, doesn't seem to have been announced yet, but old rumors claim about 70:30, Qualcomm-to-Intel. Still, Apple is a pretty big customer, so I'm hoping that both Intel and Qualcomm are moving enough to (Update: Sigh… input fail… original article cut off here. The rest of the sentence, after this update, was added a couple hours later.) be worthwhile for both parties.
Intel MODEM has no CDMA
Intel MODEM has no CDMA capability, so the X12 is only for CDMA markets (or even just CDMA carriers).
Not necessarily. I mean, yes,
Not necessarily. I mean, yes, the Intel cannot do CDMA, so they won't be in CDMA markets, but Apple might use Qualcomm in some GSM-only markets. The rumored 70:30 split in Qualcomm's favor seems to suggest this, too.
do we know which carrriers
do we know which carrriers have which chips, my concern is which has the best lte band coverage.
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I think in the US at least,
I think in the US at least, the Verizon/Sprint models will definitely have to have the Qualcomm modem, while the AT&T and T-Mobile could have either, because they do not need to have the CDMA coverage.
LTE is the successor to CDMA
LTE is the successor to CDMA and GSM, it is essentially CDMA tech advanced and since most of the carriers in the US support voice over IP, there’s really no need for CDMA anymore.
better than this
better than this