Skip to main content

Have an iPhone 7 from Verizon? Apple may be throttling your speeds

Apple iPhone 7s using Verizon should be faster than those on AT&T: The different networks require different modem chips, one slightly faster than the other. Yet researchers have found that they perform more or less the same.

It could mean that Apple has “chosen to not enable certain features of the network chip,” a researcher from Twin Prime told Bloomberg.

Recommended Videos

The iPhone 7 on the Verizon network uses Qualcomm’s X12 LTE modem, the same chip Samsung uses in the Galaxy S7. The modem is capable of download speeds up to 600Mbps, which translates to downloading a 3GB movie in 42 seconds.

In Twin Prime’s tests, which were based on more than 100,000 phones downloading an image, the Galaxy S7 was about twice as fast as the iPhone 7. The Verizon model still performed slightly better than the AT&T variant, but fell far short of its full potential. That led the researchers to believe Apple is balancing out the speeds to keep carriers happy, according to Bloomberg.

The AT&T iPhone 7 variant uses an Intel modem, which is capable of downloading at only around 450Mbps. It’s one of the reasons why we recommended buying a Sprint or Verizon model, because the device would be carrier-unlocked. Buying from T-Mobile or AT&T would mean your iPhone 7 would not work on Sprint or Verizon. But why is Apple using different chips at all?

Bloomberg suggests it was to keep “component costs in check.” Apple may also be trying to get a better price, and this move may have purely been a negotiating tactic.

If true, it’s not good for consumers — Verizon subscribers aren’t seeing those 600Mbps speeds, and AT&T customers have the short end of the stick with a lower-tier modem.

Apple did not respond to our request for comment.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
It looks even more likely the iPhone Fold will release in 2026
Concept render of a foldable iPhone.

Mark Gurman has once more suggested a 2026 release window for the rumored iPhone Fold, adding his own not-insignificant influence to the cascade of other analysts saying the same thing. In his Sunday morning newsletter for Bloomberg, Gurman said he expects the foldable to arrive "next year."

This lines up with predictions made by trusted analyst Jeff Pu. It certainly seems like the rumored device isn't likely to hit shelves anytime soon, and when it does, it could carry the highest price point of any iPhone to date at $2,300.

Read more
iPhone 17 might finally fix Apple’s stingy ways with display upgrades
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus's home screen.

Social media is currently flooded with all kinds of rumors and concept renders purportedly depicting the upcoming iPhone 17 series. A few reliable insiders have also backed the claims of a fresh design. However, there’s another upgrade situation that will matter to users on a day-to-day basis.
According to Bloomberg, the baseline iPhone 17 model could finally get a high refresh rate aka ProMotion display. “The device is likely to get some small enhancements to its rear camera, as well as a ProMotion display, which allows for smoother scrolling and animation,” says the report.
If you’ve been following the competing Android ecosystem, high refresh rate screens are no longer a talking point. Even budget phones that cost as little as $200 will serve you a 90Hz or 120Hz panel. In the Apple ecosystem, you will have to spend at least a thousand dollars to experience that perk on an iPhone, or an iPad.

The “it didn’t matter” argument

Read more
Forget the iPhone 17, new leak says wait for the iPhone 18
iOS 18 logo on the iPhone 16 Pro

The iPhone 17 isn't even out yet and already we're getting word about the following model and signs suggest the iPhone 18 is worth waiting for.

Apple has been reported as working on the manufacturing process for its A20 chip. This, according to GF Securities' Apple analyst Jeff Pu, is a chip that is going to be built on the mind-melting 2nm scale known as N2.

Read more