One of the small but notable changes to the iPhone 15 Pro is the switch to Qualcomm’s new X70 modem for improved 5G performance. As it turns out, this change also applies to the entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
This change was confirmed by iFixit’s Shahram Mokhtari on Twitter, who pointed out the significance of this change. “Apple didn’t just throw last year’s Pro logic boards into this year’s baseline models,” Mokhtari wrote. “They upgraded them too.”
Mokhtari continued:
It also shows that Apple’s baseline models aren’t just the younger siblings forever receiving last years hand-me-downs. There seems to be a genuine drive to keep the components on the logic boards up to date and current, despite the additional resources required to do so.
This means that the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max all feature Qualcomm’s X70 modem inside. This is a continuation of last year, when the entire iPhone 14 lineup used Qualcomm’s X65 modem.
Top comment by Brandon
I’ve noticed a difference in how quickly I go from WiFi to cellular when leaving home. Used to take a minute or two. Now it’s within 30 seconds. Also, my mostly dead spot home is able to more reliably send MMS. Used to be nearly impossible on the first floor. I’m guessing both these improvements are related to this upgrade modem.
Benchmark tests from SpeedSmart last month revealed that Qualcomm’s X70 modem offers major improvements to 5G performance. According to this data, the iPhone 15 offers up to 24% faster 5G speeds in comparison to the iPhone 14 lineup. Verizon users who upgrade to the iPhone 15 will see the biggest improvements, followed by T-Mobile and AT&T.
In general, the iPhone 15’s X70 modem should also lower power consumption, improve 5G carrier aggregation, and improve performance when your iPhone is far away from a cell tower.
Qualcomm’s X70 modem is also what powers many flagship Android smartphones. Notably, Apple is also in the process of developing its own in-house 5G modems, but those are expected to be several years away. Last month, Qualcomm announced that Apple will continue to use Qualcomm 5G modems for the iPhone at least through 2026.
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