Qualcomm has just announced two new 5G modems that promise ridiculous speeds and support for emerging frequencies. The new X65 and X62 modems will not be available until the end of this year, which most likely it means they won’t be on Android flagships until the next generation of chips arrives in 2022. When they land, however, they will support some key features. In addition to the expected speed improvements (the X65 can reach a theoretical speed of 10 GB), the new modems have an upgradeable architecture that will release new 5G features from a new set of standards over time – without the need for hardware upgrades.
I know, new chips always have big and heavy promises for the market, and that could be the same here, but this upgradability is still remarkable, especially since we are in a transition period, from initial adoption, where 5G is still being released. Network standards are changing and a new spectrum is being released for your use. But the new pair of modems already promises support for the new features of 3GPP Release 16, which you can consider as the second big wave of 5G standards. (Much most importantly, the standard allows operators to use unlicensed spectrum for 5G – more on that later.)
Do you remember the early days of LTE, when standards changed constantly and new phones seemed to be left behind when it came to feature launches by operators almost instantly? We are already seeing this happen with things like autonomous mode and the shift of frequencies to 5G. That is ever it will be a problem due to operators, the process of setting standards and the delay in developing hardware. But when implementing these major changes through software updates, that hardware may be ahead of the curve for a longer time – and that must also mean that it takes longer to fall behind. This rate of first users for frequent updates will not apply as much.
It may be an empty marketing promise, but I would like to hope it will make a difference in the phone’s longevity during the early 5G era.
In addition, we can expect other usual speed improvements. The X65 reaches a theoretical maximum speed of 10 gigabits, while the smaller X62 reaches “only” 4.4. Of course, these are lab-level numbers that you won’t see circulating around the city, but it should translate into improved overall performance anyway. According to Sascha Segan, the X65 can apparently add ten 100 MHz mm wave channels, more Extra 300Mhz through four sub-6 channels. It’s a lot of spectrum to take advantage of at the same time, and it’s also capable of using things like those new C band frequencies that have just been auctioned off and even unlicensed spectrum like Wi-Fi 6E. All of this can be mixed and combined at random to obtain every bit of speed available. It is important to note that it also means that it is more likely to support the 5G frequencies that operators will use next year, and the following year, not just today.
Qualcomm also claims that the two new modems are the first to use AI to adjust their RF systems, which can mean benefits from faster speeds less interference from your wrist. They will also support the new n259 mmWave band (via a new antenna module). Qualcomm sells complete RF solutions to customers (read: phone manufacturers) who don’t want to deal with the hassle of their own amplifiers or antennas, and there is a new end-to-end solution for the X65 and x62 as well.
We still don’t know which Snapdragon chips these modems will end up with. If Qualcomm follows its usual plans, the X65 will likely end up in the next flagship of the 800 series and the Galaxy S22, but it can also manifest itself before that. Segan speculates that the timing may indicate an appearance in the next round of iPhones, and I tend to rely on his opinion on the matter. While Qualcomm claims that the slightly slower X62 targets things like access points and home Internet, could they also manifest themselves on a lower Qualcomm chip, like last year’s X52 did on the 750G. We’ll just have to wait and see.