iPhone 18 Pro may ditch Qualcomm in some markets, leak suggests – Firstpost
 "iPhone 18 Pro may ditch Qualcomm in some markets, leak suggests – Firstpost")
iPhone 18 Pro may ditch Qualcomm in some markets, leak suggests – Firstpost
Publish Date: 2026-07-01 04:15:00
Source Domain: www.firstpost.com
Apple’s next-generation iPhone Pro models could look familiar on the outside, but under the hood they may represent one of the company’s most significant engineering shifts in years.
A fresh leak, based on prototype
documentation allegedly linked to Apple’s manufacturing supply chain, points to sweeping hardware changes for the
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The documents suggest Apple is preparing a new modem strategy, redesigning its flagship A20 Pro processor and upgrading the main camera, while tailoring certain features to specific regions.
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As with all pre-release information, none of these details have been confirmed by Apple, and prototype hardware often changes before commercial production. Even so, the leaked documents provide an intriguing glimpse into how Apple’s next premium iPhones could evolve.
Apple may split modem strategy between regions
One of the biggest revelations concerns Apple’s cellular hardware.
The leaked documents suggest Apple could adopt different modem suppliers depending on where the iPhone 18 Pro is sold. Models destined for the United States are reportedly set to continue using Qualcomm’s modem technology, primarily because Apple’s in-house modem is still believed to lack support for ultra-fast 5G mmWave networks.
Outside the US, however, the company is tipped to rely on its second-generation in-house modem, known as the Apple C2.
If accurate, this would mark Apple’s most complex modem rollout yet. The company has already begun transitioning away from Qualcomm in recent iPhones, but the iPhone 18 Pro could become the first flagship where the hardware itself varies by region rather than by model alone.
The leaked schematics reportedly reference separate logic board designs, reinforcing speculation that Apple is developing two distinct versions of the handset.
The documents also hint at another regional change. iPhone 18 Pro models sold in mainland China could reportedly gain eSIM…
