iPhone 15 Expected to Receive Next-Gen Ultra Wideband Chip, Vision Pro Integration: Kuo

This year, Apple is expected to offer its iPhone 15 with a new next-gen Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to integrate with its upcoming Vision Pro headset.

In a tweet, TF International Securities’ Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple will “aggressively upgrade hardware specifications” in order to flesh out and build a “more competitive ecosystem for Vision Pro.” This includes the introduction of an upgrade of its UWB.

Apple將積極升級硬體產品規格以建構更有競爭力的Vision Pro生態

1. Vision Pro的成功關鍵之一在於生態，當中包括能否與其他Apple硬體產品整合，而與此相關的主要硬體規格為Wi-Fi與UWB。

2. iPhone 15採用的UWB將規格升級，生產製程由16nm升級到更先進的7nm，有利近距離互動的效能提升或降低耗電。…

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 19, 2023

Currently, iPhones utilize the U1 chip. The tech was first introduced with the iPhone 11. The UWB chip is the backbone of many of Apple’s location-based features, including Find My and Airdrop. The U1 chip has also gone on to be featured in the Apple Watch Series 6, AirTag, HomePod mini, etc.

Kuo claims that Apple will transition over to a new production process. The new chip will supposedly move from 16nm to a “more advanced 7nm.” This will expectedly improve the performance and power consumption when paired with other pieces of hardware.

Furthermore, Apple’s goal of creating a deepened ecosystem will see iPhone 16 upgrading to Wi-Fi 7. Kuo believes this “will be more conducive to Apple’s integration of hardware products running on the same local network.”

Wi-Fi 7 is currently looked at as the next big upgrade for wireless connectivity. The new standard is expected to be four times faster, offering data processing speeds of 5.8 Gbps, and up to 36 Gbps when working with data.

As of now, it’s unknown if or when Apple’s Vision Pro headset will come to Canada. Revealed at WWDC, Vision Pro is expected to launch in early 2024 in the U.S. Pricing is set for $3,499 USD (around $4,702 CAD).