14 DAY TRIAL // Apple and Qualcomm aren’t exactly on good terms right now, so it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the latter blasts certain features of the iPhone.
In a blog post published earlier this week, Qualcomm releases a comparison between the cellular speeds and latency offered by its own chips and Intel’s modems that are being used on the iPhone. Unsurprisingly, the Snapdragon 845 Mobile Platform, which uses the Snapdragon X20 LTE chip, is the clear winner in the battle against Intel XMM 7480 and 7360 modems used “in non-Android smartphones.”
“The cellular performance of Android smartphones based on the Snapdragon 845 outpaced the Intel devices in every evaluated metric,” Qualcomm says without directly naming Apple.
Qualcomm uses data from Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest app, to prove that Android smartphones using its chips are substantially faster than iPhones.
Android phones much faster
On AT&T, for instance, the data shows that Android flagships are 64 percent faster when it comes to download speeds, and 41 percent faster on upload. Latency is up to 27 percent lower. In the worst-case results, Android phones are 22 percent and 192 percent faster than iPhones for download and upload tasks, respectively.
“Whether they’re uploading, downloading, surfing, or streaming, smartphone users expect the best possible wireless experience. This isn’t surprising given they’re asked to pay up to $1,000 for a device,” Qualcomm says.
Apple and Qualcomm are currently involved in a series of lawsuits over patent infringement, with the latter even seeking a ban on iPhone sales in the United States. Both have until now filed countersuits, and Apple is reportedly trying to cut ties with Qualcomm by looking into deals with other companies, including MediaTek.
At the same time, Apple is believed to be exploring in-house manufacturing of more iPhone parts in an attempt to get tighter control of its smartphones, though this is a long-term plan that would take up to several years to implement.