70 Macworld • April 2020FEATURE
next-generation networks’ tremendous speeds,
Qualcomm’s new modem isn’t built for phones like
the Samsung Galaxy S20 that are already on board
with 5G, it’s made for the one that isn’t: the iPhone.
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way
first. The X60 is the first ‘to support spectrum
aggregation across all key 5G bands and
combinations’. That means X60 phones will be more
future-proof than today’s X55 ones, supporting
mmWave and sub-6 using frequency division
duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) at a
wider range of deployment. Plus, it can deliver up
to 7.5Gb/s download speeds and 3Gb/s upload
speeds, far greater than even the theoretical
capabilities of the current 5G networks being built.
But while benefits like carrier aggregation and
voice-over-NR are certainly important, the greatest
improvement the X60 modem offers is in its size.
Qualcomm’s new modem is the first to be built using
a 5nm process, allowing for higher efficiency on a
smaller footprint. That’s a big leap from the 7nm
X50 and X55, and it’s unlikely anyone will be able to
catch up anytime soon, including Apple. And that’s
precisely the message Qualcomm wants to send.Size over speed
It’s no secret that Apple will be climbing on board
the 5G train with the upcoming iPhone 12, but what
isn’t so certain is which modem it will be using.
Apple and Qualcomm have entered into a multi-year
agreement to supply chips for the iPhone, which
everyone assumes will include a 5G modem,