Apple 'Investigating' Macs With Cellular Connectivity

Apple is considering bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac lineup for the first time, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Cupertino company is said to be "investigating" the possibility of adding a modem chip to a future Mac, but a cellular Mac isn't likely to launch until 2026 or later.

macbook pro purple february
Early in 2025, Apple plans to introduce the custom-built 5G chip that it's had in the works for years now. The modem chip will be added to the iPhone SE, low-cost iPad, and iPhone 17 "Air," giving Apple an opportunity to test the technology before rolling it out to flagship devices.

From there, Apple's custom 5G modem chip will expand to other iPhones and iPads over a three-year period, and it may also come to the Mac. A Mac with a 5G chip would be able to connect to a cellular network just like a 5G-enabled ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, and Wi-Fi or a cellular hotspot would not be required.

The first Apple modem chip will be limited to sub-6GHz 5G speeds, but the second-generation version will support faster mmWave technology. Apple is aiming to outcompete Qualcomm with a third-generation model, offering better performance and AI features. Apple ultimately wants to phase out Qualcomm modem chips, replacing them with the modem chips that Apple has designed.

Last year, Gurman said that Macs with Apple-designed modem chips would be introduced in 2028 at the earliest, with Apple planning to integrate 5G connectivity into its Apple silicon chips.

Macs with 5G connectivity have been rumored for several years, and way back in 2008, Apple considered adding a modem chip to the MacBook Air. Then-CEO Steve Jobs said that Apple decided not to because the modem chip would take up too much room in the case and would lock customers to a specific carrier, but chip technology has come a long way since then.

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Top Rated Comments

swm Avatar
16 weeks ago
hmm. I always carry my iPhone and the existing integration is seamless.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brandoman Avatar
16 weeks ago
Remember when you could do this with a PC card on the Powerbook?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
16 weeks ago
Been wondering for the last 15 years or so why that isn't a thing yet. I mean, even a tiny Apple Watch has space for that. Esims make it so easy too
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dark_Omen Avatar
16 weeks ago
I would welcome this, especially if carriers are able to sell these devices. I think it would increase Mac sales. People finance their phones interest free for 36 months, so why not a similarly priced Mac with unlimited data for $20 a month?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgom222 Avatar
16 weeks ago

I would welcome this, especially if carriers are able to sell these devices. I think it would increase Mac sales. People finance their phones interest free for 36 months, so why not a similarly priced Mac with unlimited data for $20 a month?
It's going to be a lot more than $20. You can't get a phone and service for that. More like $60+ a month for three years for a MacBook Air with service... I'm sure the carriers will love getting $2160 over three years for a $1000 product!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBluetooth Avatar
16 weeks ago

Been wondering for the last 15 years or so why that isn't a thing yet. I mean, even a tiny Apple Watch has space for that. Esims make it so easy too
The reason is Qualcomm, they require a percentage of the device selling costs for their patents. Thus, this is only viable when Apple is ready with their own wireless chips. They bought that division from Intel.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)