What is ultra-wideband technology? What is the Apple U1 chip? What does the Apple U1 chip do? Why does the iPhone 11 have ultra-wideband radio?
The Apple U1 chip is an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio, which can quickly and accurately locate other U1 devices in the area. The Apple U1 first appeared on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
Apple describes the U1 as "GPS at the scale of your living room". The company plans to launch U1-based features starting with the release of iOS 13.1 on September 30, 2019. Apple has explained that AirDrop will recognize where nearby U1-equipped iPhones are located. Pointing your iPhone 11 or later at the person you want to share a file with automatically places their iPhone at the top of the list.
Apple may be developing a product similar to the Tile Pro or Tile Mate to help find missing keys or keep track of other objects using UWB technology.The Apple U1 has several advantages as it transfers data faster than Bluetooth, locates objects to within a few inches, and doesn't interfere with other signals such as Wi-Fi.