iPhone 15 Prepares for Future Vision with Enhanced UWB Chip
Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 15 is set to feature an upgraded Ultra-Wideband (UWB) chip to ensure seamless integration with the tech giant’s Vision Pro headset, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The move is part of Apple’s strategy to “aggressively upgrade hardware specifications to build a more competitive ecosystem for Vision Pro.” This ecosystem, including the integration with other Apple hardware products, is seen as a critical success factor for Vision Pro.
The UWB chip, currently known as the U1 chip, debuted in the iPhone 11 and is responsible for several of Apple’s location-based features like Find My, Precision Finding, and AirDrop. The chip has also been included in a range of other Apple products, from the Apple Watch Series 6 to AirTag trackers.
The upgraded UWB chip in the iPhone 15 is likely to see its production process move from 16nm to a more advanced 7nm, which should result in improved performance or reduced power consumption for nearby interactions. The enhancement could potentially offer benefits beyond Vision Pro integration, such as more accurate AirTag tracking or decreased power usage.
Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, which was announced at WWDC earlier this month, is slated to become available in the U.S. at some point in 2024, with other countries to follow later that year. The launch of the iPhone 15, expected in fall 2023, is poised to be the first hardware element of the Vision Pro launch to reach consumers.
Looking further into the future, Kuo suggests that the iPhone 16, anticipated for late 2024, will feature support for Wi-Fi 7, which is expected to provide a better ecosystem experience by allowing the integration of hardware products running on the same local network. Wi-Fi 7 is tipped to provide speeds of at least 30 gigabits per second and could even hit 40Gbps, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance. It can use 320MHz channels and supports 4K quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) technology, offering up to 2.4x faster speeds than Wi-Fi 6 with the same number of antennas.
In spite of these significant developments, it is important to note that the details of Vision Pro’s hardware specifications have not been fully revealed by Apple yet. The company previewed the headset at WWDC but withheld some specifics. The headset is expected to launch early next year, with a more affordable model planned for the end of 2025.
The integration of the upgraded UWB chip into the iPhone 15, therefore, is a clear indication of Apple’s commitment to creating a more immersive and integrated experience for its users, paving the way for the launch of its Vision Pro headset. The exact timeline for the release of the Vision Pro headset, however, remains uncertain and could be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or product development delays.
