Intel’s XMM 8160 5G modem will appear in the second half of next year

Intel has announced the XMM 8160 5G, a 5G modem that will launch in the second half of 2019 and then arrive in mobile devices in 2020. The maximum throughput is 6 Gbit/s.

The modem is suitable for smartphones, PCs and broadband gateways. According to Intel, the XMM 8160 5G is a multimode modem, as it supports 4g, 3g and 2g in addition to 5g. As far as 5G support is concerned, it concerns both standalone and non-standalone networks. In the so-called nsa 5g networks, 5g is an addition to the existing core for current 4g networks, while sa 5g is based on a new generation of core networks and offers a greater leap in latency and speed.

The XMM 8160 5G can simultaneously maintain connections for LTE and 4G and for 5G New Radio supports both mmWave frequencies, above 24GHz, and frequencies below 6GHz. “The industry’s transition to mmWave and the midband spectrum addresses the huge need for more bandwidth for users, devices and connected machines,” Intel said.

It’s not the first 5g modem Intel has announced. A year ago, Intel announced the XMM 8060, which should also be released in 2019. However, according to Intel’s updated roadmap, that’s now a development platform. It is striking that there were earlier rumors that Intel stopped development of the XMM 8060 after Apple indicated that it would not use it. Apple is Intel’s main consumer of modems; the company uses those in its iPhones.

Intel now reports that the introduction of the XMM 8160 has been brought forward half a year. It is not known whether Apple will use this for iPhones in 2020. It is also not known which production process Intel will use to manufacture the modem. In the second half of 2019, Intel is expected to start using its 10nm production process, but the company has already had to postpone the 10nm node a few times.