New iPads in 2025 Rumored to Feature Apple-Designed Wi-Fi Chip

Apple's rumored in-house Wi-Fi chip might debut in devices as early as next year, according to Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

Apple Wi Fi Chip Feature Triad
The report cites insiders from Apple's supply chain who suggested that at least some new iPad models launching in 2025 might be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip, although they said there is a chance that the chip might not debut until the iPhone 18 series in 2026. Apple's plans to design its own Wi-Fi chip were first reported in 2021, so the project has seemingly been in development for quite some time now.

While it is unclear if an Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip would have any consumer benefits, it would allow the company to reduce its reliance on its current Wi-Fi chip supplier Broadcom, as part of Apple's effort to design more components in house.

All four iPhone 16 models support Wi-Fi 7, which is advertised as being up to 4× as fast as Wi-Fi 6E. A router with Wi-Fi 7 is also required.

Similarly, the first devices with an Apple-designed 5G chip are rumored to launch next year, including a new iPhone SE and the tentatively-named iPhone 17 Air. This chip would allow Apple to move away from its current 5G chip supplier Qualcomm.

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00 am PDT by
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June. According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments...
fortnite apple featured

Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn't Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

Friday May 16, 2025 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today clarified that it has not blocked Epic Games from updating the iOS Fortnite app in the European Union, but it is not planning to allow Epic Games to offer Fortnite in the United States App Store at the current time. In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Epic Games tied its U.S. App Store submission to the update that was also being submitted to the Epic Games Store for iOS ...

Top Rated Comments

efktd Avatar
9 months ago
Now, bring back the Airport team.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
t0rqx Avatar
9 months ago
Cancelled my cancelled my preorder, i do not want to be a beta tester.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iMac The Knife Avatar
9 months ago
Hopefully Apple knocks it out of the park on this one. Otherwise, it is going to be a **** show of epic proportions.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SMH4KIDIOT Avatar
9 months ago

No you haven’t.
Apple has never made chips like this before.
You could be thinking of previous occasions when Apple used two separate chip manufacturers, but Apple themselves was not one of them.
Apple used Intel designed modem then bought the IP and team that designed it. I think that's what they are getting at.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Cockney Rebel Avatar
9 months ago
Next chip/spec/etc,

Forget it.

Just enjoy what you have now, or you will never be happy.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ggibson913 Avatar
9 months ago
This rumor is why I order the iPhone 16. Been here before with Apple Chip, it was terrible as compared to the Qualcomm one.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)