Apple iPhone 7 and 8 return to Germany, now with Qualcomm modems

14 February 2019
These two (and their Plus models) were initially available with Intel modems, but a support chip violated a Qualcomm patent leading to a sales ban.

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  • J
  • Jack
  • ngg
  • 21 Feb 2019

Okay, so I just checked my phone which I just got last month. So obviously I got one off an old batch. It's an intel modem, and I'm having issues with connectivity. Is there anything I can do, ignorer to have it replaced with a non banned Qualcomm modem? (live in Germany)

    Anonymous, 19 Feb 2019Actually no, because the whole android OS reports your acti... moreInteresting...
    Unless I'm missing something how did the phone pick up our conversation? Do google apps override iOS to 'listen' all the time?

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • kW}
      • 20 Feb 2019

      Lyndino, 19 Feb 2019Couldn't I just use any of the browsers that aren't Chrome ... moreIt is infinitely more complicated than that. Check out Kashmir Hill’s efforts to do just that on gizmodo, or any of the news coverage and interviews that followed.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 81X
        • 20 Feb 2019

        Lyndino, 19 Feb 2019Couldn't I just use any of the browsers that aren't Chrome ... moreYou might think that, but it is MUCH more complicated than that. Check out Kashmir Hill's recent series on the subject at Gizmodo (https://gizmodo.com/life-without-the-tech-giants-1830258056), or today's discussion about it on NBC News' WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? podcast (https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/how-block-big-tech-kashmir-hill-podcast-transcript-ncna973201)

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • m%5
          • 19 Feb 2019

          Lyndino, 19 Feb 2019Couldn't I just use any of the browsers that aren't Chrome ... moreActually no, because the whole android OS reports your activity to google. Even if you turn on airplane mode on your android, it will still collect data and will send it over to google the next time you have internet connectivity.

          As for your example, if your friend had google apps or any virtual assistant installed except Siri, those apps could listen. Apple devices themselves don't care about profiling you or about your data, as they don't need to serve any ads to you. They get their money by including all the potential ad revenue in their device's cost, so they avoid selling ads.

          Using google apps and services, assistants with an iPhone will not stop google from tracking you and building virtual profiles of you as a user. Or if you use Alexa, then it's Amazon.

          But iPhones allow you to use the internet without being tied to google in any way. That is if you don't install gmail, google maps, you don't use their docs, you don't use the youtube app, you don't use google assistant, etc. If you use any of these, you will be tracked even on iPhones. I have absolutely no google apps installed on my phone and I get non-biased, non-filtered search results and internet content.

            Anonymous, 17 Feb 2019That's a fact, it's not a "think". Your data inside an iPho... moreCouldn't I just use any of the browsers that aren't Chrome to get around the Google spying?
            And I know for a fact that Apple listens as much as Android. A coworker of mine had an iPhone 7 and I placed my S8 beside it and we started talking about something that neither of us would ever talk about. Wouldn't you know it 3 or 4 hours later his phone was showing him adds about what we were talking about. My phone was the next day.
            They all spy.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 81X
              • 19 Feb 2019

              Lyndino, 15 Feb 2019Nah, Qualcomm is 100% in the right here.In the 2 cases where Qualcomm's lawyers were allowed to examine the technical details of Qorvo's implementation in depth, Qorvo's chips were declared non-infringing. In this case, Qualcomm refused to accept such terms. In a bizarre reversal of western justice, either Qorvo had to /prove their innocence/ by dropping their pants for Qualcomm's engineers (giving away all of their design innovations), or they would be assumed guilty.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • m%5
                • 17 Feb 2019

                iMe & iMiniMe, 15 Feb 2019The ones who still think apple is "safer" than google.That's a fact, it's not a "think". Your data inside an iPhone (or any Apple device) is just like it's inside a Vibranium 100% Black cube with encrypted locks, whereas your data and whatever you do with an angroid phone is like having your data and all your actions "protected" by a transparent glass box - everyone can see what's going on inside.

                Androig users are delusional to think that their devices are even comparable to Apple devices. They both have hardware, yes, but the operating systems themselves have totally different core ideas and rules behind them.

                It's like the difference between a presidential armored car and a normal car where there's always a google employee informing their company of what you're doing, what you're saying, where you're driving, who you're meeting, etc. and you cannot kick them out.

                The beauty of iPhones is that you can use the internet without touching any google app, service or website ever.

                iPhone + no google apps or services = free, happy, and unbiased web experience

                  • D
                  • AnonD-731363
                  • SH3
                  • 16 Feb 2019

                  Anonymous, 16 Feb 2019will this bring bread and milk to slovakia? What exactly do you want???

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • HCp
                    • 16 Feb 2019

                    AnonD-731363, 15 Feb 2019I still thinks than banning apple worldwide would solve a l... morewill this bring bread and milk to slovakia?

                      • H
                      • Hmm
                      • mqu
                      • 16 Feb 2019

                      Anonymous, 14 Feb 2019Who even buys iPhones ?OMG really, now your just being silly.

                        Anonymous, 15 Feb 2019Maybe Qualcomm shouldn't charge X for a chip with all of th... moreNah, Qualcomm is 100% in the right here.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • iwp
                          • 15 Feb 2019

                          Experience...iPhone 6S with Qualcomm and iPhone 7 Intel. Took both the Korea. IPhone 6S worked perfectly, iPhone 7 data refused to, work on 3, diff SIM cards all tested worked fine in the iPhone 6s. Both phones bought from Apple Store Australia. Took both phones to Thailand same thing data on any SIM worked on the iPhone 6s only. Typical Apple, ‘our tests show not problem’, I must be a retard. Ok take the phone over there yourself and test it you morons, then come back and tell me if it passed your tests, ‘oh we can’t do that’.

                            • D
                            • AnonD-731363
                            • SH3
                            • 15 Feb 2019

                            I still thinks than banning apple worldwide would solve a lot of problems with apple phones.
                            When they will not sell they will have to close and only android will remains.

                              • i
                              • iMe & iMiniMe
                              • muC
                              • 15 Feb 2019

                              Anonymous, 14 Feb 2019Who even buys iPhones ?The ones who still think apple is "safer" than google.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 81X
                                • 15 Feb 2019

                                Lyndino, 14 Feb 2019Maybe Apple should pay the asking price and not assume they... moreMaybe Qualcomm shouldn't charge X for a chip with all of their patented technology, but then charge you again to actually use it?

                                  Right, because Qualcomm modems are better than their Intel counterparts.
                                  My Redmi 5 Plus often has better signal reception than my sister's iPhone 7 Plus.

                                    xXENDER FREAKXx, 14 Feb 2019Let me guess, your idea is from USA and USSR, am I right?Nope. I want Open Source OSes to dominate and be THE ONLY FORM OF OSes to exist. And apple's persistant struggle to stay afloats keeps it away.
                                    Open Source is the future.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • Lh2
                                      • 14 Feb 2019

                                      Anonymous, 14 Feb 2019Who even buys iPhones ?60% of the West

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • fv3
                                        • 14 Feb 2019

                                        Who even buys iPhones ?