U1 Chip

With AirPods Pro 2, Apple has improved the Charging Case by adding a U1 chip for Precision Finding with Find My. This article explains how to use Precision Finding to locate your AirPods Pro if you've misplaced or lost them. Find My‌ uses Bluetooth signals from lost AirPods to relay their location back to you. Apart from Bluetooth, however, the second-generation AirPods Pro Charging Case...

Apple's upcoming iPhone 15 will feature an upgraded Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to optimize integration with the company's Vision Pro headset, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In his latest Twitter post, Kuo said upgrading the UWB processor, which Apple currently calls the U1 chip, is part of a plan to "aggressively upgrade hardware specifications to build a more competitive ecosystem for...

As part of WWDC last month, Apple announced that iOS 16 will allow third-party accessories with U1 chip integration to interact with iPhone apps even when the app is running in the background, enabling new "hands-free user experiences." In a press release today, chipmaker Qorvo said this new functionality will allow U1-enabled accessories to work in tandem with iOS 16 apps to trigger...

As part of WWDC this week, Apple has released a draft specification of its Nearby Interaction Accessory Protocol, allowing third-party accessory manufacturers to review preliminary hardware and software requirements for developing accessories that interact with the U1 chip in supported Apple devices, like iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. Third-party accessories that are designed to be...

A leaked Tesla FCC document shared by The Verge suggests that Tesla's next cars will support Ultra Wideband, a technology that's built into the latest iPhones and in vehicles, allows for greater accuracy when unlocking a car with a smartphone. Tesla in September submitted documentation on new key fobs, a controller, and endpoints that would be installed inside the frame and cabin of a...

Apple's inclusion of Ultra Wideband chips in its devices has driven growth in research into the technology and its potential applications, according to a new report by DigiTimes. Ultra Wideband is a short-range, low-power radio technology that is able to provide more precise indoor positioning than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi. The distance between two UWB devices can be measured precisely by...

Apple's new AirPods Max headphones are not equipped with a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband, according to Apple's tech specs, and confirmed by MacRumors. (This chip is not to be confused with the H1 audio chip in each of the AirPod Max's ear cups.) First introduced in iPhone 11 models last year, the U1 chip enables improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra...

Apple last year introduced a U1 chip in the iPhone 11 series that enables Ultra Wideband support for improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra Wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices, with much more accuracy than Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi. Apple has so far only used the...

Apple Watch Series 6 models are equipped with a U1 chip for Ultra Wideband support, according to tech specs on Apple's website. Introduced in iPhone 11 models last year, the U1 chip enables improved spatial awareness. The distance between two devices that support Ultra Wideband can be measured precisely by calculating the time that it takes for a radio wave to pass between the two devices,...

Introduced last year, the U1 chip in iPhone 11 models enables Ultra Wideband support for improved spatial awareness, but Apple has so far only used the technology to power a directional AirDrop feature in iOS 13. In the upcoming months, that should change, as Apple has announced that it is opening up its U1 chip to developers with a new "Nearby Interaction" framework for iOS 14. This...

Last week, we laid out evidence suggesting that the just-released iPad Pro models do not contain a U1 Ultra Wideband chip, including the lack of any mention of the chip in tech specs or Apple's press materials, the absence of software support for U1 features, and more. Most tellingly, iFixit was unable to find the chip or related antennas in the device. Daring Fireball's John Gruber has follo...

While it was previously reported that all 2020 iPad Pro models feature the same Apple-designed U1 chip as the iPhone 11 lineup, enabling Ultra Wideband support, we have compiled evidence to suggest that this may not be the case. As a reminder, Apple's tech specs for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro list an Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness, but the chip is not mentioned in Apple's...

Following in the footsteps of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, the first Android smartphones with Ultra Wideband technology will be released starting later in 2020, according to Barclays analysts. In a research note obtained by MacRumors, the analysts said Android smartphones will be equipped with an all-in-one Ultra Wideband, NFC, and Secure Element chip introduced by Dutch chipmaker NXP...