Apple Reportedly Wants to Have a Custom 5G Modem Ready for Use in Some Products by 2021

Apple yesterday announced that it has agreed to acquire the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business. The $1 billion transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals.

ipad iphone duo ios 12
Understandably, the acquisition may enable Apple to accelerate development of its own 5G modem, with Reuters citing a source who claims the iPhone maker wants to have an in-house chip ready for use in some of its products by 2021, compared to previously reported timeframes of between 2022 and 2025.


Apple's transition to custom 5G modems will likely happen in phases, starting with lower-end and older models of devices, according to the report. Apple has a multiyear chipset supply agreement with Qualcomm, and a six-year patent license agreement, so it certainly does not have to rush the process.

The report does not explicitly mention the ‌iPhone‌, so the first product with an Apple-designed modem could very well end up being an iPad. In any case, the transition away from Qualcomm will likely take years, as its modems lead the industry in performance and worldwide compatibility.

In the interim, Intel is expected to supply LTE modems for 2019 iPhones, with Apple returning to Qualcomm for the first 5G-enabled iPhones in 2020.

Tags: Qualcomm, 5G

Top Rated Comments

TheShadowKnows! Avatar
48 months ago
Qualcomm is about to lose the war. Couldn't have happened to "nicer" folks.
Dude, I am amused. What has Qualcomm ever done to you, personally?

And, on topic, which company is "nice" when negotiating advantage?
[Apple told its sapphire supplier ‘Put on your big boy pants’]
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lone Deranger Avatar
48 months ago
This from a company who can't even make a wireless charger? Hahahahahahahahaa.... :D






(....and before the Apple Defense League minions jump down my throat: it's a joke, relax )
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anshuvorty Avatar
48 months ago
I just don't understand how a change in management can result in a change of performance in these chips. Can someone explain why Apple acquiring Intel's miserable Modem's division, which couldn't produce Qualcomm-levels of performance in these 4G chips, suddenly being managed by Apple, will allow this same team to produce chips that will beat Qualcomm's designed chips in 2-5 years? If Intel couldn't make this team produce great chips, how can Apple make this same team produce great chips?

AKA, what does Apple have that Intel doesn't have?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
48 months ago
I just don't understand how a change in management can result in a change of performance in these chips. Can someone explain why Apple acquiring Intel's miserable Modem's division, which couldn't produce Qualcomm-levels of performance in these 4G chips, suddenly being managed by Apple, will allow this same team to produce chips that will beat Qualcomm's designed chips in 2-5 years? If Intel couldn't make this team produce great chips, how can Apple make this same team produce great chips?

AKA, what does Apple have that Intel doesn't have?
My guess is that Apple won't be subject to the same business considerations that Intel has.

I might be wrong, but while Apple was pretty much Intel's only customer for their modems, Intel's modems were still designed for the entire industry. When your only concern is that your own modems need only work with your own devices, as opposed to every other smartphone on the market, that gives engineers a lot more leeway on what they can do (and what they don't need to do).

So Intel's modems don't have to be strictly better than Qualcomm's. They simply need to do what Apple needs it to do, and between that and the hardware / software integration that Apple is famous for, they just might be able to trick out superior (or at least, comparable) performance.

In a sense, it's like how Apple was able to use its clout to push developers towards converting their apps to 64-bit, which meant their A-series processors no longer need to support 32-bit code, while Qualcomm's chips probably still do.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
x-evil-x Avatar
48 months ago
In 2021 another gate will open it's called 5G Gate.
Just stop. Really?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blcamp Avatar
48 months ago
Qualcomm is about to lose the war. Couldn't have happened to "nicer" folks.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 8 New Features

Friday March 31, 2023 8:55 am PDT by
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
CarPlay Phone Call

General Motors to Phase Out Apple CarPlay Starting This Year in EV Transition

Friday March 31, 2023 8:43 am PDT by
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters). GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Three New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Following Apple Music Classical

Thursday March 30, 2023 7:13 am PDT by
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
wwdc 2023

Three Products We Might See at WWDC 2023

Friday March 31, 2023 3:37 pm PDT by
Apple this week announced the official dates for the 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference, with the annual WWDC keynote event set to take place on Monday, June 5. The keynote is where Apple unveils new versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, and sometimes, we get hardware announcements. Rumors this year suggest there are at least three new devices that are set to be unveiled in the ...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Solid-State Button Sensitivity Can Be Customized to Cater for Cases and Gloves

Thursday March 30, 2023 11:36 pm PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users will be able to customize the sensitivity of the solid-state buttons on their device, thanks to a new sensitivity toggle in Settings. That's according to details provided by a hitherto reliable source that shared additional details on the MacRumors forums. Earlier this week, the same anonymous tipster revealed that the iPhone 15 Pro models will use...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again

Thursday March 30, 2023 4:50 am PDT by
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...
iPhone 15 Pro Periscope Mock Feature

Periscope Camera Lens Exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro Max Will Be Supplied by Largan

Thursday March 30, 2023 1:18 am PDT by
The periscope camera lens that will be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be solely supplied by Largan, according to the 相機鏡頭中獲利-apple-camera-lens-suppliers-face-two-risks-high-53db8da990b2">latest no by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, when Kuo first mentioned the possibility. The analyst...