Apple’s iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Use Qualcomm’s X80 5G Modem

Apple’s iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X80 5G modem, according to early teardowns by Chinese repair specialist Ycs Yang (via Reddit). With today being the launch of the new iPhone 17 series lineup and iPhone 17 Air, those in Asia and Australia have had a head start in dismantling these new iPhones.

The Snapdragon X80 is fairly new and supports 5G Advanced. It offers peak download speeds of up to 10 Gbps, six-carrier aggregation on sub-6 GHz bands, and full mmWave support. The modem also leans heavily on AI, which Qualcomm says improves network speed, coverage, latency, and power efficiency.

While mmWave is available in markets like the U.S., Canadian carriers have yet to roll out mmWave 5G due to the federal government’s slow-moving wireless spectrum auctions (we’re looking at you, CRTC and ISED).

Apple continues to use different modem suppliers across its lineup. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro rely on Qualcomm’s X80, the iPhone Air is equipped with Apple’s own C1X modem, and the iPhone 16e carries Apple’s earlier C1 chip.

In Ycs Yang’s teardown under a microscope, he methodically opens up the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max circuitry like a surgeon. We also get our first glimpse at the new A19 Pro chip too. Below, you can see the Qualcomm X80 5G modem pictured:

mmWave is a faster 5G technology that uses high-frequency radio waves to deliver fast internet speeds, like for streaming or gaming, but it only works over short distances and can be blocked by walls or even rain. It’s meant for dense set ups like in cities or sports stadiums or concerts, for example.

The Snapdragon X80 is also powering other flagship smartphones beyond Apple’s lineup. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series from earlier this year uses the modem alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip to deliver AI-optimized 5G Advanced performance with mmWave capability.

Xiaomi’s 15 series, which debuted in China in October 2024 and is rolling out globally in early 2025, features the X80 as well, with a six-antenna setup designed for mmWave and sub-6 GHz, along with satellite connectivity.

Qualcomm says the X80 is not just for phones but also for laptops, fixed wireless devices, and automotive platforms. For Canadian iPhone buyers, the immediate benefits will be more reliable and efficient sub-6 5G, while the hardware itself is already prepared for mmWave once the government and carriers eventually deploy it (a super long one day in the future).

At Mobile World Congress back in March, Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon X85 5G modem, the update to the X80 within the latest iPhone 17 series.