Leaked iPhone 7 Logic Boards Suggest Intel Modem, Other Component Tweaks

[MacRumors]

Last week, MacRumors covered photos of what appear to be the front and rear of bare iPhone 7 logic boards, and since that time we've been able to study these boards and compare them to previous iPhone generations' bare and populated logic boards.

Comparing the boards with existing component offerings and information suggests that Apple has indeed moved on from Qualcomm as its baseband modem supplier and switched to Intel for the upcoming iPhone generation. This does not preclude Apple from having other versions of the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus logic boards which feature a Qualcomm modem, such as an international model with differing LTE band options, as has been rumored.

Leaked iPhone 7 logic board with Intel modem location annotated​

The image above shows the previously leaked and annotated logic board front with the probable location of the Intel baseband modem annotated. The pad pattern for the part in this location is markedly different than the pad pattern for the Qualcomm MDM9635, as shown in iFixit's parts catalog. The pad pattern of this mystery part also appears to match the dimensions listed on Intel's website for similar baseband modem offerings to the rumored XMM 7360 design solution.


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Article Link: Leaked iPhone 7 Logic Boards Suggest Intel Modem, Other Component Tweaks

 

[S.B.G]

Apple has indeed moved on from Qualcomm as its baseband modem supplier and switched to Intel for the upcoming iPhone generation

I wonder if it’s a feature or performance reason for the switch or more of a cost of production reason. They're used Qualcomm for quite a long time haven't they?

 

[yeah]

A chip released in Q3 2014... hmm

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

Thank you Tim Cook!

 

[LordQ]

Thank you Tim Cook!

Where the hell can I buy that!?

 

[milan03]

"It is always possible that the dimensions listed may be for a solution different than what Apple has used, whether it be custom or unannounced, but it appears as though Qualcomm could still be the supplier for the RF transceiver."

And how exactly would Intel baseband work with Qualcomm's Transceiver?

 

[Virtualball]

Once again, thanks for the recent in-depth articles!

 

[Rudy69]

Where the hell can I buy that!?

KFC

 

[yaxomoxay]

Thank you Tim Cook!

The proof that heart attack and happiness are not mutually exclusive.

 

[chrmjenkins]

"It is always possible that the dimensions listed may be for a solution different than what Apple has used, whether it be custom or unannounced, but it appears as though Qualcomm could still be the supplier for the RF transceiver."

And how exactly would Intel baseband work with Qualcomm's Transceiver?

That's a good question.

 

[milan03]

That's a good question.

Can't
It's one or the other.

 

[konqerror]

And how exactly would Intel baseband work with Qualcomm's Transceiver?

Why not? That's how everybody used to do it way back when. The Blackberry 8700 had a Intel baseband with an Analog Devices transceiver (if I remember correctly). Blackberry 9000 had a Marvell baseband which talked to a Infineon 3G and a Renesas GSM transceiver. Any limitations would be commercial and economic, not technical.

 

[zhang96]

LOOK AT THOSE PINS THEY LOOK SMART AND REVOLUTIONARY!

 

[JackANSI]

I wonder if it’s a feature or performance reason for the switch or more of a cost of production reason. They're used Qualcomm for quite a long time haven't they?

I'd be more worried about power consumption and reliability than anything... Intel is pretty new at this.

 

[44267547]

Thank you Tim Cook!

Not sure what this has to do with the article, but this is seriously making me hungry.

 

[S.B.G]

I'd be more worried about power consumption and reliability than anything... Intel is pretty new at this.

That thought crossed my mind too.

 

[nagromme]

In my day, motherboards couldn't be accidentally swallowed.

 

[konqerror]

I'd be more worried about power consumption and reliability than anything... Intel is pretty new at this.

No they aren't. They bought Infineon's wireless division. They made the modems for the original iPhone through the GSM iPhone 4. Apple switched because nobody but Qualcomm makes CDMA chipsets. (Intel's previous baseband effort was integrated into the PXA series chips and, in Intel's worst mistake, was sold to Marvell just before the iPhone)

 

[Sefstah]

THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST IPHONE EVER! Minus the heaphone jack, no new screen, no expandable memory, huge ugly camera bump, and still no true way to save and organize our files.

 

[JackANSI]

No they aren't. They bought Infineon's wireless division. They made the modems for the original iPhone until the GSM iPhone 4. Apple only switched because nobody but Qualcomm makes CDMA chipsets.

Good news!

 

[gim]

This does not preclude Apple from having other versions of the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus logic boards which feature a Qualcomm modem, such as an international model with differing LTE band options, as has been rumored.

I hope it does. It's one of the biggest advantages of iPhones: They usually have almost all the LTE bands you need for international travel. I hoped they would eventually move to 1 global iPhone model with all bands. Instead, they supposedly even integrate different modems depending on where you buy your iPhone? I'd be highly disappointed...

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

Not sure what this has to do with the article, but this is seriously making me hungry.

LOL. That is a "sandwich" that KFC used to sell a few years ago called the Double Down. It used chicken for the "buns" and had bacon and cheese in the middle.

It's a joke because a few years ago Tim Cook said Apple was "doubling down" on leaks regarding the secrecy of their unreleased products.

 

[chrmjenkins]

Can't
It's one or the other.

So a Qualcomm transceiver wouldn't comply with the DigRF standard?

 

[44267547]

LOL. That is a "sandwich" that KFC used to sell a few years ago called the Double Down. It used chicken for the "buns" and had bacon and cheese in the middle.

It's a joke because a few years ago Tim Cook said Apple was "doubling down" on leaks regarding the secrecy of their unreleased products.

That makes sense now. I seriously want one. That would be my protein after my work out.

 

[konqerror]

Instead, they supposedly even integrate different modems depending on where you buy your iPhone? I'd be highly disappointed...

The problem is that Apple has to support the 1x CDMA network of Verizon and Sprint, which locks them into Qualcomm chipsets. I would rather have the non-CDMA model, since that lets them choose from a variety of vendors with potentially superior products.