Intel To Release New 8160 5G Modem Next Year

Intel today announced its new XMM 8160 5G modem which it’s going to release to manufacturers in the second half of next year. The company says that this new modem brings very clear improvements in size, power, and scalability in a package that’s smaller than a U.S. penny. The XMM 8160 5G modem will have support for the 5G New Radio, Standalone, and Non-Standalone modes in addition to 4G, 3G, and 2G legacy radios in a single chipset.

Manufacturers will be able to get this new 5G modem from Intel in the second half of next year. This means that we will see the first 5G-enabled devices with this modem at some point in early 2020.

Intel says that this chip can be used to provide 5G connectivity to devices like smartphones, PCs, and broadband access gateways. It will support peak speeds of up to 6 gigabits per second and will thus be three to six times faster than the latest LTE modems available currently.

With its single-chip multimode baseband capability, this modem will allow device manufacturers to design devices that are smaller and more power efficient. They won’t be required to use two modems for 5G and legacy connectivity.

It remains to be seen which companies opt for Intel’s 5G modem as it’s not the only one working on such a chip. Companies like Samsung, Huawei, Sony, Xiaomi, LG, and over a dozen more are also working on their own 5G modems.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: Intel