Coverage· Apple· Published Sep 12, 2026

Apple Says U.S. iPhone 18 Pro Max Uses a Qualcomm Modem

Apple’s updated specifications say the iPhone 18 Pro uses the C2 modem worldwide, while iPhone 18 Pro Max units sold in the U.S. use a Qualcomm modem instead. The model and reason remain unclear.

Coverage

DNA Brief

Signal Summary

The iPhone 18 Pro Max uses C2 in every market except the U.S. The source cites a tipster who attributed the U.S. hardware difference to iOS 27 code and identifies Snapdragon X85 as the most likely Qualcomm modem, but Apple has not explained the change and comparative real-world performance is not established.

Why It Matters

The change creates a regional hardware difference within the iPhone 18 Pro Max lineup. Future testing will need to compare the C2 and Qualcomm implementations separately rather than treating all models as having the same modem.

Evidence

Start with the primary evidence, then review supporting sources and context.

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Primary Evidence

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  • MacRumorsDocumentOriginal

    Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

    Joe Rossignol

    “As noted by Nicolas Lellouche , who writes for the French tech website Numerama , Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where.…”