New iPad Appears to Utilize Qualcomm's MDM9600 Baseband Chip

[MacRumors]

AnandTech has done some digging into the iOS restore code for Apple's new iPad, discovering that the device is apparently utilizing Qualcomm's MDM9600 baseband chip for its mobile connectivity. While some had thought that Apple would attempt to use the 28-nm MDM9615 chip in the third-generation iPad, Qualcomm's roadmap suggested to us that Apple would likely use the 45-nm MDM9600 chip that has been on the market for some time now.

Now that the restore .ipsw images have been posted and are available for download, I took a peek inside and did a little bit of forensics. It turns out that Apple has gone with Qualcomm's MDM9600, and has given the device codename Maverick (as opposed to Trek for MDM6610). This part still contains UE Category 3 LTE, CDMA2000 1x/EVDO Rev.A (and B), GSM/EDGE, and WCDMA/HSPA+ all the way through DC-HSPA+ 42 Mbps. It's a 45nm 13x13mm part we've seen in numerous other 4G LTE devices thus far.

Technically, the code reveals the new iPad as carrying a baseband chip of MDM9x00, but Qualcomm's MDM9200 and MDM9600 chips differ only in their support for CDMA2000 networks.

Qualcomm's MDM9600 baseband chip (Source: AnandTech)

For the next-generation iPhone, Apple will need to move to a different chip that will also support voice over LTE, and for that the company is indeed expected to utilize the newer and smaller MDM9615 baseband chip.

Article Link: New iPad Appears to Utilize Qualcomm's MDM9600 Baseband Chip

[kyjaotkb]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

Hopefully the next iPhone will also work over caribous LTE bands including 800mhz european LTE!

[ipader]

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Then maybe I'll cancel my order and wait for the "newer" iPad next year…......
Never mind, I only ordered the wifi version!

[Moonjumper]

The new iPad needed LTE for the American market, so used what is ready. I expect the next iPhone will have the 28-nm chip.

[swordfish5736]

Originally Posted by ipader

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Then maybe I'll cancel my order and wait for the "newer" iPad next year…......
Never mind, I only ordered the wifi version!

yea but then next year you mine as well wait for the "newest" "newer" iPad to come out and then the year after that you mine as well wait again

[Mike¬]

Does anyone have definite information on the european situation already?

There's some confusion going on regarding the frequency bands of 700 and 2100 MHz as written in the tech specs by Apple.
Nevertheless Apple advertises 4G LTE on the german Apple website in a way that it would be quite misleading if 4G capability didn't work with the standards in Germany (and France, ...), which are in the 800 Mhz and 2600 Mhz region.

[bottsjw]

For those of us who see all the frequencies of AT&T and Verizon on one chip, why are there different models for the different carriers?

[mburnet6]

Originally Posted by bottsjw

For those of us who see all the frequencies of AT&T and Verizon on one chip, why are there different models for the different carriers?

While the chip works with both networks, the individual networks have different frequencies...not to mention that At&t and Verizon don't want you to be able to switch back and forth between carriers.

[yashrg]

Are you saying the tablets are locked via a software/firmware to the carrier you bought it with? And If jailbroken, there could be a way to run them on any of the two networks?

[mrbrown]

Originally Posted by yashrg

Are you saying the tablets are locked via a software/firmware to the carrier you bought it with? And If jailbroken, there could be a way to run them on any of the two networks?

Traditionally, the iPad is not locked to any carrier (except in Japan?). The new iPad has a GSM & CDMA modem in both models, but the LTE radios are apparently different in each model (verizon & at&t).

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by bottsjw

For those of us who see all the frequencies of AT&T and Verizon on one chip, why are there different models for the different carriers?

Unfortunately, there is very little overlap between AT&T and Verizon in the 700MHz band.

[chrmjenkins]

I would almost guarantee that this is because the 28nm fabs aren't ready for Apple quantities right now, and are too swamped with new 28nm customers anyway.

[hchung]

Originally Posted by bottsjw

For those of us who see all the frequencies of AT&T and Verizon on one chip, why are there different models for the different carriers?

There are support components that are necessary to use the frequencies.

It'd be expensive to populate millions of iPads with parts that will normally never be used by their user. Plus, it makes for a bigger board and it's harder to route the wires for the board and manage the RF interference.

Here you can see some of those parts for a iPhone 4S:
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhon...eardown/6610/2

If you click on the TriQuint links, they'll tell you what bands that particular part supports.

[justperry]

Originally Posted by mburnet6

While the chip works with both networks, the individual networks have different frequencies...not to mention that At&t and Verizon don't want you to be able to switch back and forth between carriers.

And THAT may be well the main reason, oh you poor Americans, I feel genuine sorry for you that there is so little choice and get Scr*wed by the providers.

[SignalCorps]

The transcript of the announcement said
"- Two different models of iPads for AT&T and Verizon because they use different bands. Same as CDMA/GSM iPad 2's.
- All are 3G world-ready, can roam world-wide."

But local big-city Apple store guy said he's not so sure of that--he says AT&T will work worldwide but won't know about VZ being 3G world-ready for another week. Is it obvious from the iFixit teardown or any of the parts whether VZ is 3G worldwide, or does that depend on radio frequency parts that we don't yet know about?

[BobbyRond]

Oh in what perfect world would every carrier globally use the same technology... That, and a worldwide ban of SIM locks.

Sadly, this day will never come...

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by bottsjw

For those of us who see all the frequencies of AT&T and Verizon on one chip, why are there different models for the different carriers?

This is just a guess, but it appears the iPad has more frequencies supported on each model than any other device ever. I am thinking they could not fit in one more antenna and associated circuitry (battery volume tradeoff). The cynic in me thinks it is a contractural concession to the carriers that they sell hardware that is not readily switched to the competitive carrier.

Since it was technically practical to make an iPhone 1 free of carrier, but it basically was never done within the walled garden, I think a third possibility may exist. They have a toggle in software to enforce this provision but both models are actually the same in manufacturing. The tear-down will reveal if there are physical differences or not, and will answer this contractural or mechanical question.

Either way the carriers want it that way.

My understanding is my VZ iPad will be able to talk with GSM carriers when I travel, at 3G speeds, unless they support VZ's particular flavor of 4G LTE, which is near impossible. So I am expecting to see a SIM slot. So naturally when I travel somewhere with awesome wireless speeds and coverage, I will be a fully crippled American, as it should be according to FEDGOV and Apple.

Rocketman

[yashrg]

I can't wait to see how people internationally are using it. Could they hop from one provider to the other every month? Especially in Canada where they have 4G/LTE

[hchung]

Originally Posted by SignalCorps

The transcript of the announcement said
"- Two different models of iPads for AT&T and Verizon because they use different bands. Same as CDMA/GSM iPad 2's.
- All are 3G world-ready, can roam world-wide."

But local big-city Apple store guy said he's not so sure of that--he says AT&T will work worldwide but won't know about VZ being 3G world-ready for another week. Is it obvious from the iFixit teardown or any of the parts whether VZ is 3G worldwide, or does that depend on radio frequency parts that we don't yet know about?

Originally Posted by Rocketman

So I am expecting to see a SIM slot.

There's no teardown yet because there's no shipped devices yet. But given what the preorder page says for support, I'd expect the VZW iPad to be world ready. And yes, it'll have a sim slot because all VZW LTE devices have sim slots.