Overview
- A TechInsights teardown published Saturday identified a Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX80M modem and Qualcomm SDR875 RF transceiver inside the U.S. iPhone 18 Pro Max, plus an Apple mmWave antenna module marked 339M00418.
- Apple’s U.S. technical-specs page lists the Apple C2 modem for the smaller iPhone 18 Pro but leaves the Pro Max modem entry blank, while the Pro Max is shown as using C2 in markets outside the United States.
- Apple has not explained the U.S.-only exception, and reporting points to Qualcomm’s 2023 multi‑year supply agreement with Apple through 2026 as a likely but unconfirmed reason for the lingering Qualcomm parts.
- Independent, head‑to‑head performance and power tests comparing Apple’s C2 and Qualcomm’s X80 in these iPhone 18 models have not yet appeared, even though Apple says the C2 adds mmWave support, faster uploads, and about 15% lower energy use versus earlier C chips.
- The finding highlights Apple’s gradual move from third‑party modems to its in‑house C series and means buyers in different countries can receive different cellular hardware, so watch for benchmark results and any official Apple statement on future modem rollouts.