Where the iPhone 12 was rocking the Snapdragon X55, the iPhone 13 would sport the upgraded Snapdragon X60 5G modem, according to the latest report. However, this modem is not the fastest from Qualcomm, but that does not mean it will not arrive with several improvements compared to the previous model.
Snapdragon X60 Is Made on the 5nm Process, Contributing to Improved Battery Life on the iPhone 13
A report from DigiTimes mentions that the Snapdragon X60 will be found in the upcoming iPhone 13 series, leading to improved battery life thanks to the 5G modem made on Samsung’s 5nm node. Each iPhone 13 model will also be able to aggregate 5G data from both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands simultaneously to achieve an optimal combination of high wireless data speeds and low-latency network coverage.
The modem will likely be more power-efficient than the 7nm Snapdragon X55, though it will consume more juice than the Snapdragon X65. That is because the Snapdragon X65 is said to be made on the 4nm architecture, providing more benefits for portable devices like smartphones. So why would Apple choose a less efficient 5G modem when Qualcomm has already announced the Snapdragon X65? It is possible the company is finding other ways to make its iPhone 13 more power-efficient.
For example, the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are said to feature 120Hz screens, but Apple will use LTPO panels from Samsung. The biggest benefit of having LTPO technology on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is it will dynamically switch between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the type of content being shown. This helps to conserve battery life considerably.
Also, it is more than possible that the Snapdragon X65 is costly to procure than the Snapdragon X60, so Apple may be attempting to avoid these unnecessary expenses. Though the Snapdragon X65 can achieve peak download speeds of 10Gbps, those numbers are useless in the real world because no 5G service provider can deliver those speeds. Another thing you should know; a court document revealed Apple to use Snapdragon X60 5G modems for the iPhone 13 series, followed by the Snapdragon X65 for the iPhone 14 family in 2022, so there is that.
Moreover, we expect Apple’s software to optimize performance and battery life by putting the 5G modem in a low-power state when the Snapdragon X60 is not connected to any 5G networks. Apple is expected to launch four iPhone 13 models later this year, so we’ll know exactly what speeds these models can achieve shortly after their arrival.
