Preparing for the iPhone Next: Rumors Analyzed
by Brian Klug & Anand Lal Shimpi on August 27, 2012 9:40 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Apple
- Mobile
- iPhone
Cellular Connectivity: LTE Expected
The iPhone has always used separate applications and baseband processors. The next model is not expected to be any different. The big addition with the upcoming iPhone will be a massive and much needed improvement in cellular connectivity. Put simply, the addition of both support for LTE in the Americas and perhaps a few other international markets, and TD-SCDMA support for China. Support for LTE is simply requisite for a high end smartphone at this point, and inclusion of TD-SCDMA is likewise requisite for any further growth in China.
The commercial availability of Qualcomm's second generation Gobi modems and transceivers will make this possible without the design caveats posed by the previous generation of LTE basebands. Specifically, caveats such the lack of a built in codec for voice, requiring the so-called Qualcomm SoC fusion scenario that required MDM9x00 to ship in conjunction with a Qualcomm SoC to enable voice (whereas MDM9x15 is natively voice enabled). That's to say nothing of power draw which improved over time for MDM9x00 with software improvements (such as inclusion of more DRX features), but still precluded inclusion in an iPhone without a battery penalty. There's a reason you see MDM9x00 in the iPad 3 with WiFi but not in the iPhone 4S, even though it was available for that product's release.
The part we've fingered for baseband in the next iPhone is Qualcomm's MDM9x15 platform, which is a 28nm TSMC device that includes support for Category 3 LTE TDD and FDD, up to Release 8 42 Mbps DC-HSPA+, GSM/EDGE, TD-SCDMA, and CDMA2000 1x, 1xAdvanced, and EVDO on the MDM9615 variant. This is the same IP block as what is already inside shipping MSM8960 SoCs and devices today, where we've seen great battery life and LTE performance. There's one further improvement as well which MDM9615 hopefully will have over the current MSM8960 implementation, and that's the inclusion of a new 28nm RF (as opposed to logic) transceiver named WTR1605, instead of the 65nm RTR8600. This new transceiver also includes even more ports (7 instead of 5 on RTR8600) which means we will see likely more 3G or 4G LTE bands supported in this upcoming device. Even without that improvement we'll see inclusion of LTE without any caveats.
Because 2x2 MIMO is mandatory for LTE Category 2 and above (and 2 receive diversity mandatory for all LTE categories), you can see how that top bottom RF window and antenna split we touched on earlier makes even more sense. Again, this isn't a big leap from the iPhone 4S which already features both receive and transmit diversity split between top and bottom antennas, but just further fits into the LTE iPhone puzzle.
A small note under the cellular category is that this will also likely continue to be where GNSS (GPS and GLONASS) resides, something the CDMA iPhone 4 and 4S both already have courtesy the MDM66x0 baseband inside. MDM9x15 bumps this slightly, from Qualcomm's GPSone with GLONASS generation 8 to 8A, though I'm not certain what all improvements come from that change in version.
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gilesrulz - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
You're admittedly not an Apple user or a future Apple user, so why would Apple build a phone for you?While there may be a small population that share your desire for NFC and mobile payments generally, for most it is a solution looking for a problem (at least in the US - I have read interesting use cases for the developing world).
As for the proprietary port, there was an exception put into the law that allows for adapters to USB, which is what Apple has bee providing since the law went into effect.
alxx - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
NFC I'd prefer not to have until the security bugs are worked out it.Personally I prefer a phone that fits in my pocket (shirt and pants) and doesn't need a bag or belt clip to carry it
mantikos - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
Stop the hobby product BS, its a failed product...there is nothing known as a hobby product...if Surface flops tomorrow, would you be kind enough to call it just a 'prime the pump' product because MSFT called it that?!gilesrulz - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
The have sold more than 4.2 million of them (2nd Gen). It is not a "failed product" or a "flop".jamyryals - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
Exactly right, it's only a hobby product for Apple because in comparison to their other revenue streams it's tiny. For almost any other companies selling 4 million of anything would be a huge success. I bet Google wishes they'd sold even 1 million Qs.KoolAidMan1 - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
How is it failed? It sells more than the XBox 360, that's pretty successful for a consumer gadget.It may be a hobby compared to an iPhone or iPad, but anything else is small in comparison. The iPhone alone makes more revenue and profit than Windows and Office combined.
Doormat - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
Any word on whether its feasible for IGZO screens or not? 50-90% lower power consumption.swb311 - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
IGZO is not for mobile right now. It's using In-Cell which might be confusing. IGZO is a replacement or different type of LCD which may end up in an eventual iTV or newer iMacs but definitely not in phones any time soon.HisDivineOrder - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
Please, please let them update the iPod Touch. It's beyond long in the tooth. Hell, I won't mind if they discontinue the iPod Touch line in favor of an iPad Mini line that is essentially the same thing at the same 4" diagonal of the iPhone, put the 7" iPad in as an iPad Air, and let the iPad become the Big-Daddy Pro of the iPad lineup.Ethaniel - Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - link
I agree, I would love to see the iPod Touch updated, but no, I don´t want them to discontinue it. You have 90 percent of the iPhone´s functions without having to put a provider´s "ball and chain" in your ankle... oh, wait...My point is, I want a "tablet" that fits in my pocket. The closest thing so far without breaking the bank where I live is the current iPod Touch. If there are no updates, I guess I´ll grab the current gen.