Il Apple’s 5G modem chip is not ready yet for launch: even in 2023 the iPhones will have an integrated chip of Qualcomm. Apple is still expected to refine the details after purchasing Intel’s 5G division in 2019.
Apple’s 5G modem won’t even arrive in 2023 iPhones
Since Apple acquired Intel’s 5G chip division in 2019, the Cupertino-based company wants to launch a iPhone using a proprietary modem. This would allow Apple to design the entire components of the iPhone, both the A series chip and the one for connectivity.
However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple has ‘failed’ the production of 5G modems for the iPhone 15, due out next year. So he will have to trusti 100% back to Qualcommwhich instead should have produced sonly the chips of 20% of the iPhones of 2023.
The news, although unofficial, has already done so to raise Qualcomm’s quotations on the stock exchange by 3%. Also because Kuo has announced that Qualcomm should be able to start new business in time for when Apple launches its own modem, balancing the losses of the iPhone contract.
So it will take a while longer, at least until 2024 before we could see a 5G chip developed by Apple. Which will then have to pay the licenses to Qualcomm, after the discussions had over the past three years on the 5G issue.
However, Apple cannot afford to launch iPhones with connectivity problems on the market: until it is ready and safe, it will continue to rely on Qualcomm.