Apple’s U1 Chip Could Change The iPhone

There was a discussion about whether the latest iPad Pros include Apple’s U1 ultra wideband chips (spoiler warning: they don’t have it). However, processors can have a dramatic effect on the next generation of iPhones, as Samuel Axon explains for Wired.

Apple remains silent about its long-term plans for the chip, but researchers have found many uses for UWB. It was originally introduced to consumers (with little success) as a way to quickly transfer large files to nearby personal devices, but the proliferation of smart home and location technologies has given it a new lease of life. For example, UWB can be used to unlock your car door when you approach it. While this is possible with other wireless technologies, UWB is significantly more accurate than, say, Bluetooth Low Energy – just enough to know which specific door you’re at, so only that door is unlocked. # Cupertino’s leaks have indicated that Apple is predicting a competitor for Tile – the electronic tags that you attach to valuables so you can locate them with an app. Since Tile products are based on Bluetooth LE, smartphones and location beacons equipped with U1 would be more accurate in finding a precise location.

See: Apple’s U1 chip can change iPhone