Apple has not explained why the US model uses different hardware.
iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the C2 worldwide except in the US
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple has updated its technical specifications for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, revealing a difference between the two models across markets. The change affects the iPhone 18 Pro Max sold in the US, while the iPhone 18 Pro remains consistent globally. The update comes as Apple continues its shift towards in-house cellular modem technology. A recent report has now shed more light on the hardware used in the US model and what sets it apart from versions sold elsewhere.
Nicolas Lellouche (@LelloucheNico) of the French technology website Numerama spotted the difference after Apple updated its technical specifications pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The updated information places the C2 modem in the iPhone 18 Pro across all markets. For the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple lists the C2 for every market except the US.
iOS 27 code also points to a Qualcomm modem in US versions of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to tipster @itspdfu. The exact modem remains unknown, but the Snapdragon X85 is the likely candidate.
Apple has not explained why the US iPhone 18 Pro Max uses Qualcomm hardware. The choice could be linked to Qualcomm's agreement to supply Apple with smartphone modems until 2026, which the chipmaker announced in 2023.
The Cupertino-based tech giant began developing its own modem technology with the C1 in the iPhone 16e, launched in February 2025, and followed it with the C1X in the iPhone Air in September 2025. The newer C2 adds mmWave 5G support in the US, which was absent from Apple's first two modem generations. Qualcomm has offered the technology in iPhones since the iPhone 12 series.
The company claims the C2 improves upload speeds while using 15 percent less energy than the C1X. The company's foldable iPhone Duo also uses the C2 modem worldwide.
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