Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max sold in the US continues to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem, according to a TechInsights teardown, despite most other variants adopting Apple's in-house C2 modem. The discrepancy likely stems from contractual obligations, though Apple's C-series modems now match Qualcomm's capabilities with better power efficiency.
A teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max reveals it uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon SDX80M 5G modem instead of Apple's advertised C2 modem, but only in the US market. Apple's specification pages confirm the C2 is listed for the iPhone 18 Pro but omitted for the Pro Max in the US, while other markets show the C2 in both models. The discrepancy likely stems from Apple's 2023 agreement with Qualcomm.
ASUS launched the Ascent QN10, a compact Windows on Arm mini PC powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite processor featuring an 80 TOPS NPU that meets Copilot+ PC requirements. The system fits in a 0.7-liter chassis with up to 32GB memory and 4TB storage, priced at $1,349.99 for the 16GB/512GB configuration. ASUS targets developers and AI workloads with support for 175+ optimized models from Qualcomm AI Hub.
Omarchy has launched a new team called Omarchy Dragon to bring Linux support to Qualcomm Snapdragon laptops. Five engineers are working on enabling core functionality like sleep, video playback, and firmware updates across Surface, Lenovo, HP, and ASUS Snapdragon devices, with plans to push improvements upstream to benefit other ARM platforms.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max sold in the U.S. uniquely uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem, while all other regions and smaller Pro models use Apple's custom C2 modem. The U.S. variant also features a new mmWave 5G antenna module from Apple, though the reason for the regional modem difference remains unexplained.
ASUS Ascent QN10 is the first mini PC featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite 18-core ARM processor with 80 TOPS AI performance, supporting up to 32GB memory and 2TB storage with WiFi 7 and multiple video outputs. Priced from $1,349.99, it targets tech enthusiasts, developers, businesses, and educational institutions, shipping with Windows 11 Pro Copilot+ PC.
ASUS has begun shipping the Ascent QN10, its first consumer-ready mini PC powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite processor with an 80 TOPS NPU designed for local AI tasks. The compact 0.7-liter aluminum device features improved specs including Bluetooth 6.0 and an innovative dual-path cooling system, marking a significant shift from previous developer-focused Windows on Arm devices.
Valve launched the Steam Frame VR headset priced at $1,059, which includes a native ARM64 port of Half-Life: Alyx running on Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 3 silicon. The port leverages foveated rendering and eye-tracking to maintain full visual fidelity without requiring a desktop PC, representing a year of optimization work that benefits all Steam Frame games.
Arm architecture is rapidly displacing Intel's x86 dominance in computing, driven by Apple's shift to M-series chips, Microsoft's renewed Windows on Arm push, and widespread industry adoption. Unlike x86's closed ecosystem controlled by Intel and AMD, Arm's licensing model enables numerous companies—Apple, Qualcomm, Amazon, Nvidia—to design high-performance processors, signaling x86's declining reign.
Google is unveiling its Googlebook lineup tomorrow in New York City with six confirmed devices from Dell, HP, ASUS, and Acer, but evidence suggests a seventh device—a mysterious third Lenovo clamshell—may also be announced. Based on render leaks and code tracking, the unrevealed machine appears to be a 14-inch Lenovo Googlebook powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processor, completing Lenovo's three-device lineup.
FreeBSD developers discovered remaining GPL code in their kernel despite efforts to remove all copyleft software, including GPL snippets in a header file copied from Linux for Qualcomm SoCs and in the Device Tree. However, most GPL pieces are also licensed under BSD, which satisfies the project's goal of avoiding copyleft licensing.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max uses a Qualcomm modem in the U.S. while all other models globally use Apple's new C2 cellular modem. The C2 supports mmWave 5G and offers faster uploads with 15% less energy consumption than the previous C1X, though Apple has not explained the U.S. modem difference.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max sold in the U.S. uses a Qualcomm modem instead of Apple's new C2 chip, while the Pro model and Pro Max in other countries use the C2. The difference likely stems from Apple's existing supply agreement with Qualcomm through 2026.