Apple to upgrade ultra-wideband chip for Vision Pro-iPhone integration
Apple will debut the iPhone 15 line-up in a few months. While we've been getting fragments of information about the series through leaks and rumors, the latest tip from TF International Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, suggests the iPhone 15 series will feature integration with the Vision Pro headset. Apple intends to accomplish this by upgrading the ultra-wideband (UWB) chip.
Why does this story matter?
The iPhone 15 series could feature a number of hardware changes like the inclusion of a USB Type-C charging port, faster wireless charging without MagSafe, Dynamic Island on all models, and more. Now, Kuo claims that Apple is planning to offer seamless connectivity and a better ecosystem experience for the upcoming iPhones with the company's first mixed reality headset.
Apple will "aggressively upgrade hardware" of iPhones
In one of his recent Twitter posts, Kuo asserts that Apple will "aggressively upgrade hardware specifications" of its products (mainly iPhones), in an effort to build a competitive ecosystem surrounding Vision Pro. The AR/VR headset's success will primarily rely on Apple's product ecosystem. Hence, the company might be looking to upgrade ultra-wideband (Wi-Fi) connectivity—the specification responsible for the phone's integration with Vision Pro.
UWB chip to move from 16nm to 7nm
Apple intends to upgrade the ultra-wideband chip, starting with iPhone 15 series, which is likely to pack a 7nm UWB chip—a significant upgrade over the 16nm U1 that has been used since iPhone 11. The charging case for second-generation AirPods Pro too contains this chip. A new version of the UWB chip will improve performance and reduce power consumption when connected to nearby devices.
The new chip will improve performance of several features
Apple uses the U1 chip for a number of different purposes, such as AirTag tracking with Find My facility, Precision Finding, AirDrop, and more. As per Kuo, an upgraded version of the U1 chip will boost the functionality of the listed features. It will also play a vital role in integrating Vision Pro with other upcoming Apple products, including iPhone 15 series.
iPhone 16 will offer Wi-Fi 7: Kuo
Kuo has also claimed that iPhone 16 will be the first iPhone to support Wi-Fi 7. It'll allow for ultra-high speeds and lower latency while connecting with other devices. "iPhone 16 will likely upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, which will be more conducive to Apple's integration of hardware products running on the same local network and provide a better ecosystem experience," the analyst said.
