Ultra Wideband first shipped in the iPhone 12, HomePod mini, and more. To keep the cost down, Apple's new iPhone 16e isn't just missing MagSafe, it also lacks Ultra Wideband, and a Thread radio. MagSafe wasn't the only omission from the iPhone 16e. Probably because of the new Apple-designed cellular modem, Ultra Wideband isn't included, nor is a thread radio.
Ultra Wideband (UWB) is a wireless protocol for communications, which functions using radio waves. At its most basic, it can be used to transmit messages between devices, making it somewhat analogous to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. As it has potential applications for personal area network communications, namely allowing devices on a person to communicate with each other, there is a lot of crossover with the more established Bluetooth. However, the way it operates means it can offer some more functionality the other two communications types cannot provide.
The main feature it enables is highly-accurate location tracking, with devices using UWB potentially able to identify the distance and even the location of other hardware relative to itself to within a few inches. This means it has potential uses for device tracking services, minus the iPhone 16e.
It's also used for quick pairing with the HomePod mini. Thread is a new IP-based smart home connectivity standard that has slowly been increasing in adoption in recent years. It's an alternative to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Zigbee and is incredibly low-power and fast.
It first debuted in the HomePod mini and a few Nanoleaf lights but there are now several smart home products that have utilized it. Apple incorporated the radio into the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the whole iPhone 16 line that launched in September — but not in the iPhone 16e.
We'll be evaluating all the differences between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 line over the next few days. After his exit from the Navy in 1999, Mike spent 11 years as a tech analyst, and supported a large swathe of Apple customers in the Washington DC area. With over two decades on the Apple beat, Mike has served as Apple...
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