The iPhone 14 lineup is rumored to get a number of serious upgrades, and it now looks like better battery life could be in the cards, too. That’s because Apple is reportedly planning to equip the new iPhone with a new 5G chip that could result in lower power consumption while maintaining solid performance.
The scoop comes from a recent report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News that revealed that TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) has allegedly obtained Apple’s 5G chip orders for its upcoming iPhone 14 lineup.
The radio frequency chips are said to be produced based on the 6nm manufacturing process, which could allow the supplier to deliver a chip that is physically smaller, resulting in a decreased power consumption, without sacrificing the performance.
Additionally, a 5G chip that's smaller in size could also make more room for Apple to pack a larger battery inside. So combined with better power efficiency, the described chip could improve the phone's overall battery life.
The report also mentioned that the chip could offer support for Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, seemingly corresponding to previous rumors and leaks. Compared to Wi-Fi 6, the Wi-Fi 6E connectivity would deliver significantly improved performance along with lower latency.
As per Apple's four-year chipset supply agreement with Qualcomm, Cupertino is likely to use the Snapdragon X65 modem for its rumored iPhone 14 lineup. That's according to a court document from the settlement between the two companies, which also accurately revealed Apple's past plans to use the Snapdragon X65 modem for last year's iPhone 13 range.
However, Apple reportedly intends to ditch Qualcomm starting in 2023 and work on its own 5G modem, which probably means that it could be used in the iPhone 15 models. After all, Apple didn't buy Intel's modem business for $1 billion in 2019 just for nothing.
More recently, we reported that the trial production of the iPhone 14 lineup is already underway, according to Chinese site UDN. Meanwhile, regular Apple tipster Shadow_leak has recently stated that the iPhone 14 lineup will get a 90Hz display, which is less than the 120Hz we were hoping for. (The iPhone 14 Pro series will reportedly still offer 120Hz.) One of the latest leaks also claims that under-display Touch ID is also off the table.
The iPhone 14 is expected to launch later this fall alongside an array of other Apple product releases tipped for 2022.
