All signs point to Apple borrowing from Samsung for the iPhone 18 Pro series
Apple might use two different modems for the iPhone 18 Pro line depending on region.
Apple could turn to dual-sourcing for iPhone 18 Pro modems | Image by PhoneArena
Earlier today we told you about a huge data breach involving 630GB of data taken from Tata. Among the information included in the cyberattack were iPhone 18 Pro schematics and documents. The leaked documentation revealed that Apple planned to equip the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with its second-generation C-series homegrown modem known as the C2.
Apple is considering dual-sourcing the modems for the iPhone 18 Pro series
However, a fresh report says that Apple is actually considering doing something that Samsung is known for. As you probably know, Samsung equips its flagship Galaxy S and Galaxy S+ models with one of two different application processors (AP) depending on where the phone is sold. This is known as dual-sourcing.
For example, this year Samsung powered the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ with the Exynos 2600 AP in Europe, South Korea, India, and some parts of Asia. In other markets such as North America (US and Canada), China, and Japan, those two models are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 AP. The top-of-the-line Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the latter Snapdragon chipset in all markets.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will support mmWave frequencies in the US
What does this have to do with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max? Apple is supposedly thinking of using dual-sourcing for the modem chips it will use for the 2026 premium iPhone models. The word is that Apple will equip the US variants of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with a Qualcomm Snapdragon modem. This could be done because the US versions of these iPhone models will support high-band mmWave connectivity.
Leaked Bill of Materials for US iPhone 18 Pro includes part number for Snapdragon 5G modem
The Snapdragon X80 5G would probably be the Qualcomm modem Apple would use in the US for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. A leaked bill of materials for the US iPhone 18 Pro references a model number of SDX80M, which is the model number for the aforementioned Snapdragon component.
Render of the iPhone 18 Pro. | Image by FPT
Another Qualcomm component listed in the Bill of Materials for the US iPhone 18 Pro is the SDR875. This is a converged RF transceiver chip that is used along with the Snapdragon X80 5G modem to combine support for high-band mmWave and low-band sub-6GHz frequencies on a single silicon die.
What else should Apple borrow from Samsung for iPhone?
Outside the US, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max should feature Apple's C2 modem. The big question is whether the C2 will support the zippy fast mmWave 5G signals. The previous two Apple-designed modems, the C1 and C1X, did not.
Part numbers for iPhone 18 Pro logic board support dual-sourcing theory for the modem
There are two different part numbers for the iPhone 18 Pro logic board, both of which seem to fit in perfectly with the idea of Apple dual-sourcing the modem for the 2026 premium iPhone models. Part number 820-04340-06 corresponds to the iPhone 18 Pro logic board containing a mmWave connector and Qualcomm modem hardware. Part number 820-04305-06 refers to the iPhone 18 Pro logic board that does not support mmWave frequencies and will be used with the Apple C2 modem.
The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max use the Snapdragon X80 modem that works with Sub-6 GHz, and mmWave 5G. The iPhone Air and iPhone 17e are both equipped with the Apple C1X with support for Sub-6GHz frequencies only.
Another interesting change discovered in the documentation that was part of the Tata data breach involves China and iPhone 18 Pro SIM cards. Mainland China does not sell iPhone models that use an eSIM. Instead, units sold there have two physical SIM trays. A configuration list based on region mentions eSIM and physical SIM support for a "CN" configuration, which seems to stand for China.
An eSIM is an embedded SIM, a chip that is permanently placed on a phone's logic board and is programmed electronically.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be unveiled this coming September alongside the foldable iPhone Ultra. One rumored date is September 8.
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