Chip Vendors Readying 4G LTE Components for New iPhone Production

[Michael Essany]

As production rapidly approaches for the 6th generation iPhone, reports are surfacing to suggest that Apple's longtime chipmakers are getting ready for a major process of assembly that will result in the next-gen iPhone being optimized for 4G LTE.

Heavyweight chip vendors like Qualcomm, Broadcom, STMicroelectronics, NXP, Texas Instruments (TI) and OmniVision have, according to DigiTimes, begun "stocking their solutions used for Apple's next-generation iPhone."

It is believed that Qualcomm’s 4G LTE chips inbound for Apple's 6th generation iPhone will comprise a whopping 30% (or more) of TSMC’s 28-nm manufacturing capacity. For months now we've been hearing about the various components Apple is considering for inclusion in the next-gen iPhone. A longtime leading candidate has been Qualcomm's "MDM9615" LTE chip. This particular chip would deliver support for voice and data connections over 4G.

As the summer gets underway in full, industry sources and analysts are largely in unanimous agreement that the next iPhone will arrive almost one year to the date of the iPhone 4S. So by early October, we should know exactly what the new iPhone will deliver, what it will look like, and what it will be called.

Source: DigiTimes

[burnsrbeef]

What are the odds that AT&T doesnt let you keep your unlimited plan if you go to 4g????

[bmwraw8482]

What are the odds that AT&T doesnt let you keep your unlimited plan if you go to 4g????

99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 %

[F123D]

AT&T throttles you after 3GB so it's not really unlimited to begin with.

However, currently for unlimited 4G LTE users, AT&T will throttle you after 5GB's. Let's see if they'll continue with that..

[confucious]

I am confused - Isn't the UK going to use Band 20? But the MDM9615 supports Bands 1,2,4,5,8,13 & 17 only?

Or am I mistaken?

[MXCO]

I heard 5G is already out.

[control635]

99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 %

haha so true... it's annoying to think that they are doing away with the unlimited plans while the smartphone market is being flooded like this

[celeron]

I heard 5G is already out.

Doubt it, too soon.

This is what I found:

Were a 5G family of ITU standards to be implemented, it would likely be around the year 2020, according to some sources.[1] A new mobile generation has appeared every 10th year since the first 1G system (NMT) was introduced in 1981, including the 2G (GSM) system that started to roll out in 1992, 3G (W-CDMA/FOMA), which appeared in 2001, and "real" 4G standards fulfilling the IMT-Advanced requirements, that were ratified in 2011 and products expected in 2012-2013.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5G#section_1

[confucious]

I think he was being sarcastic.

But if anyone actually has any knowledge on the subject can enlighten me it would be appreciated. Am I wrong that the UK will use Band 20? Or am I wrong in the bands MDM9615 supports?

[celeron]

I think he was being sarcastic.

Dang, I should have known

[RayZoriPhoneRepairs]

Sucks that the only country that can use the supoported 4g network is the US

[ayeyobro]

Can't wait to use this towns 4G with that great phone.

[steelbom]

I'm in Australia -- I want the 4G

[Ezcaflowne]

So the new iPhone will have 4G LTE. Does this matter for AT&T customers? Because there network isn't really 4G. I guess what I'm trying to figure out, will this 4G LTE be any faster on AT&T network compared to the 4S?

[celeron]

Some say 4G LTE is the real 4G. The 4S uses HSPA afaik

[LSZ33]

So the new iPhone will have 4G LTE. Does this matter for AT&T customers? Because there network isn't really 4G. I guess what I'm trying to figure out, will this 4G LTE be any faster on AT&T network compared to the 4S?

Yes it will make a huge difference. The iPhone 4S isn't a 4G LTE compatible phone. So the 4G icon you see, is actually an evolved 3G network (AKA HSPA+). AT&T is deploying currently upgrading their network to support true 4G LTE phones. It'll just depend on the area you live and when they get to your town for the upgrades.

[FlyingJoey]

What if I buy an unlocked phone (which is what I currently have) and swap out the SIM?