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iPhone 7 and 7 Plus modem gate

A

astilo

New member
Let's start from the main source, the Apple web page:
View attachment 18183

[FONT=&quot]Model A1778*[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Model A1784*
[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]Models A1778 and A1784 do not support CDMA networks, such as those used by Verizon and Sprint[/FONT]
Click to expand...

Although not a genuine proof, that's at least a possible smoking gun, I would say. If that's indeed an Intel modem, it should probably be the XMM 7360 model.
 
Teardowns will be available tomorrow so any speculations on this topic are pointless anymore.

Btw.: I like this logic. It might be Intel because it don't support CDMA. :)
 
lilo777 said:
What does the "gate" refer to? It looks like a proof that some iPhones use Intel modem. It is also a well known fact that Intel modems do not support xDMA.
Click to expand...
Well, the Intel modem it is most likely cheaper (for Apple but not for the final customer) and performance wise, inferior to the Qualcomm one (cat. 10 vs cat. 12/13). Is that ok for you?
 
...we have indeed found an entire Intel mobile cellular platform inside the iPhone 7. Intel supplied not just one, but two RF transceivers, the baseband modem, and the (RF) power management IC
Click to expand...
I would assume it's not possible to incorporate an Intel modem without including the rest of the chipset
 
lefty said:
I would assume it's not possible to incorporate an Intel modem without including the rest of the chipset
Click to expand...

From SA:

While already anticipated, Intel (INTC +2%) components are now confirmed to be installed within certain iPhone 7 configurations. Two Intel RF transceivers, a baseband modem and RF power management ICs are noted.

Qualcomm (QCOM +0.2%) modems, transceivers and power management ICs are also confirmed to be utilized in other device variations. Qualcomm had historically maintained an exclusive provider position of modem components for previous iPhone iterations.

Components supplied by Skyworks Solutions (SWKS -1.9%), Cirrus Logic (CRUS -1.8%), Samsung Electronics (OTC:SSNLF), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM -0.7%), NXP Semiconductors (NXPI -2.2%), Broadcom (AVGO -1.3%), Qorvo (QRVO -2.4%), Texas Instruments (TXN -0.5%), Toshiba (OTCPK:TOSBF +4.4%), Lattice Semiconductor, (LSCC -0.6%), Dialog Semiconductor (OTC:DLGNF) and other makers also so far validated.
 
astilo said:
Well, the Intel modem it is most likely cheaper (for Apple but not for the final customer) and performance wise, inferior to the Qualcomm one (cat. 10 vs cat. 12/13). Is that ok for you?
Click to expand...

Does anyone know which QCOM modem is in the iPhone 7? 28nm, 20nm, or 14nm? I'm just wondering how TSMC will do in all of this. TSMC makes all of the modems except the QCOM 14nm one. My guess is that Apple used 28nm modems from QCOM and Intel for price.
 
Daniel Nenni said:
Does anyone know which QCOM modem is in the iPhone 7? 28nm, 20nm, or 14nm? I'm just wondering how TSMC will do in all of this. TSMC makes all of the modems except the QCOM 14nm one. My guess is that Apple used 28nm modems from QCOM and Intel for price.
Click to expand...
I would guess 14nm, but I´m not 100% sure. This is the model: MDM9645M LTE Cat. 12 Modem
The only reason I say 14nm, it´s because that´s the same modem that is integrated in the Snapdragon 820 SoC.

Update
Before the refresh from cat. 10 to cat. 12 (announced in Sept 2015), it was built anyway at 20nm. It could still be a 20nm part after all.
 
Last edited:
astilo said:
Well, the Intel modem it is most likely cheaper (for Apple but not for the final customer) and performance wise, inferior to the Qualcomm one (cat. 10 vs cat. 12/13). Is that ok for you?
Click to expand...

I don't do iPhones so it's really irrelevant to me. As far as iPhone users are concerned, some might be affected when they decide to switch from, say AT&T, to Verizon. Performance wise, iPhone modems were almost always behind the competition anyways. On the other hand, in real life I am not sure 10 vs 12/13 makes any difference at this point in time (it looks like there are other factors, probably in the infrastructure, that limit the performance).
 
I heard from someone inside the company, that Intel came to Apple, and told them if they aren't going ot do a deal, Intel is going to close that division.

Apple didn't want to be stuck without a second source and fully captive to Quallcom, so the agreed.
 
Joe Talin said:
I heard from someone inside the company, that Intel came to Apple, and told them if they aren't going ot do a deal, Intel is going to close that division.

Apple didn't want to be stuck without a second source and fully captive to Quallcom, so the agreed.
Click to expand...

That is the best explanation I have heard. Monopolies are severely frowned on in this business. Let me see if i can confirm this.
 
astilo said:
I would guess 14nm, but I´m not 100% sure. This is the model: MDM9645M LTE Cat. 12 Modem
The only reason I say 14nm, it´s because that´s the same modem that is integrated in the Snapdragon 820 SoC.

Update
Before the refresh from cat. 10 to cat. 12 (announced in Sept 2015), it was built anyway at 20nm. It could still be a 20nm part after all.
Click to expand...

It's 20nm according to Qualcomm:
The Snapdragon X12 LTE modem (9x40) supports Carrier Aggregation (CA) across global TDD and FDD radio frequency bands. It is QTI’s latest and most advanced LTE modem in the 20nm technology node and supports up to 60 MHz 3x CA in the downlink and up to 40 MHz 2x CA in the uplink.
Click to expand...
Qualcomm Drives Future of Automotive Connectivity with New 4G LTE Modems | Qualcomm
 
The QCT modem would be probably 20nm, though possibly 14nm. It would not be built on 28nm. Intel/Infineon, contrarily, uses TSM's 28nm process for their modems.
 
i am very impressive by the teardown. iPhone 7 seems a great device in 2016
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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