A major change expected with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max was that it was incessantly reported to be Apple’s first flagship series to ship without any Snapdragon 5G modem, exclusively sporting the company’s new C2 baseband chip. Unfortunately, valuable information taken from the Tata leak reveals that Apple will be relying on Qualcomm for another year.
The iPhone 18 Pro could also retain Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip, but feature a decent camera upgrade over the iPhone 17 Pro
Based on the details we’ve received in an email, we believe that the C2 versions of the iPhone 18 Pro are destined for markets where there’s no mmWave support, whereas variants featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 5G modem will be intended to be sold in the U.S. Multiple components belonging to the San Diego firm featuring the designation numbers SDX80M baseband, SDR875 “SUB6+MMW IF,” QDM8771, QDM8720, PMK75, PMX75, and QET7100A have been unearthed from the leak, making it one of the biggest surprises of the year.
The leaked files also reveal the continued use of Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip, which was unveiled last year, suggesting that the iPhone 18 Pro won’t feature a new N2 part. Regarding the camera upgrades, the sensor ID has been changed from 0x903 to 0x905, and the sensor configurations have increased from 21 to 24. This means that Apple’s flagship could be treated to Sony’s new IMX905, with the optics upgrade tied to the new variable aperture upgrade that’s slated to arrive later this year.
As for the A20 Pro, which is said to be Apple’s first 2nm SoC, fresh details mention that the silicon will sport the new WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) packaging, ditching the older InFO_PoP technology. This change will bring improvements to the bandwidth, latency, and thermals, with a previous leak revealing that the A20 Pro will also tout a bigger Neural Engine to deliver better on-device AI performance. The A20 Pro could also feature direct contact with the vapor chamber, bringing a more effective way to transfer heat.
While some of this information has been repeated, we’re thoroughly surprised that Apple continues to rely on Qualcomm for its Snapdragon 5G modems. However, the tip we’ve received stated that this isn’t final shipping information and could just be supplier-side engineering clues that don’t make it to the commercial units. In short, treat this data with a pinch of salt, and we’ll return with more updates.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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