3G iPhone: Wireless Standards, Chips and Platforms

A friend posed this iPhone question recently:

Could the iPhone run on CDMA with the Infineon (IFX) chip that will be in the 3G GSM phone? Or would different hardware and/or software be required?

I thought I will publish a tutorial to benefit all of the readers of this blog. This is my view of the wirelss standard we will see implemented in the 3G iPhone.

There are two pervasive wireless standards that support 3G:

The third generation partnership project (3GPP) has defined 3G as the CDMA-based evolution of GSM. So, GSM networks (e.g. AT&T (T) in the U.S. and most of Europe) have migrated or are migrating to WCDMA for higher voice capacity and also nominal data-rates. 3GPP has also added high throughput data capabilities in its later releases of the standard (e.g. HSDPA, HSPA, HSPA+).

The Qualcomm-promoted CDMA2000 1x standard is part of the 3GPP2. Qualcomm (QCOM) calls its CDMA2000 1x as 3G. High throughput data capabilities have been added in the various revisions of EV-DO. Hence, EV-DO is considered a natural evolution path for most CDMA2000 1x based networks (e.g. Sprint (S), Verizon (VZ)).

Now, if we assume that the iPhone 3G has the Infineon SGOLD3H chip and its HEDGE platform, then we will have:

3GPP Release 5 compliant dual-mode protocol stack.

HSDPA with up to 7.2 Mbps for downlink.

WCDMA 384 Kbps for uplink and downlink.

Backward compatibility with GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

For more details, I will direct you to the Infineon product brochure here. This version of iPhone 3G will have support for the above standards and nothing more. Essentially, it will not have HSUPA, or HSPA+.

Further, if the Infineon assumption holds, we will not have one iPhone that supports both 3GPP and 3GPP2-based standards. In other words, if the 3G iPhone is HSDPA capable, it will not be CDMA1x or EV-DO capable. Of course, it does not preclude Apple (AAPL) from releasing two versions of the iPhone – one for HSDPA and the other for CDMA1x/EV-DO. This will necessitate Apple developing a completely new chipset/platform partnering with Qualcomm.

The common 3G iPhone notion is WCDMA or HSDPA-capability. Though not impossible, Apple will mostly desist from a CDMA1x version now. There are at least two reasons for this:

WCDMA/HSDPA will be the dominant 3G standard moving forward. This will allow Apple to address most markets.

In the U.S.., a major market for CDMA1x, AT&T provides enough opportunities for Apple to increase its market share. In turn, the iPhone gives AT&T the chance to steal subscribers from the other service providers.

In summary, a software upgrade/hack will not make AT&T’s 3G iPhone CDMA1x/EV-DO capable so you can use on Sprint or Verizon. Finally, irrespective of the actual standard in the 3G iPhone, the truth is it will have a CDMA air interface.

[All thoughts expressed here are those of the author's, and do not necessarily reflect those of either Atheros Communications or TensorComm Inc.]

Disclosure: None

Comments

[XYZZY]

Lots of acronyms thrown about with no explaination on what they are or how the technology is capable off or how they evolved. So where's the tutorial part?

[rhodope]

So after reading all that, no Iphone for Verizon or Sprint till Apple gets a new chipset.

[Mr. A]

XYZZY, Get the lead out and hit Wikipedia. Not enough space to go back to explain the evolution of the wheel. And yes, there ain't gonna be no stinking 3G iPhone for non-WCDMA networks. And HSPDA is completely good enough for the next version of iPhone. Qualcomm is on a road leading to nowhere.

[WirelessKnoledge]

Mr. A, do you know what qualcomm is? where their stack lives? Do you know leading 3G and future 4G chipset provider in the world? If you don't know it is QCOM. In terms of performance and functionality QCOM chipsets are far ahead of competitors.

And do you know all WCDMA/WCDMA + Phones would end up paying royalty to QCOM. QCOM is positioned for strong growth for atleast next 5 years duration when 3G starts spreading all over the world. Digg the facts and then write :)