Recent reports suggest Apple is considering bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac lineup for the first time, with the first cellular-enabled MacBook potentially arriving as soon as next year.
According to a December report by Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple is "investigating" the possibility of adding a modem chip to a future Mac. Gurman reports that while a cellular Mac isn't likely to launch until 2026 at the earliest, the timeline aligns with Apple's ongoing development of its custom modem technology, allowing it to gradually reduce its reliance on Qualcomm for modem chips.
Apple's first custom modem, the C1, debuted in the iPhone 16e last month. The C1 is described by Apple as "the most power-efficient modem that's been included in an iPhone to date," contributing to the iPhone 16e having the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone.
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has since gone on the record to underline the company's commitment to modem technology, stating that "C1 is the start. We're going to keep improving that technology each generation, so that it becomes a platform for us that will be used to truly differentiate this technology for our products."
There is still at least one other device that is expected to have an Apple-designed modem this year. According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model coming in September will also be equipped with the C1 modem. In addition, Kuo has said that Apple is developing a "refreshed" version of its C1 modem for mass production next year that will improve power consumption and transmission speed, as well as bring support for mmWave.
According to Gurman, Apple's next-generation C2 modem is expected to arrive in 2026, and will debut in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models. This is part of Apple's plan to expand its custom 5G modem chip to other iPhones and iPads over a three-year period – and it could also come to the Mac.
This isn't the first time we've heard of Apple exploring the potential for cellular-equipped laptops. Back in 2007, the company developed MacBook Pro prototypes with integrated 3G connectivity, including a SIM card slot and an extendable cellular antenna along the right side of the lid. Despite these early experiments, Apple never released a MacBook with built-in cellular capabilities.
Apple's long-term vision appears to be integrating the modem component directly into the main processor of its devices, making the electronics more power-efficient and less costly to produce. According to Gurman, Apple's custom technology aspirations include integrating an in-house modem into its system-on-a-chip (SoC), which would eventually see the launch of MacBooks with built-in cellular connectivity.
Apple apparently considered adding a modem chip to the MacBook Air back in 2008, but then-CEO Steve Jobs decided against it, citing concerns about the modem taking up too much space and potentially locking customers to specific carriers. However, an integrated SoC would solve that problem.
As things stand, MacBook users who need cellular connectivity on the go can use the Personal Hotspot feature through their iPhones or iPads, or connect to a separate mobile hotspot device. This solution is less than ideal, requiring additional battery drain on another device, extra steps to connect, and often a less stable connection than built-in cellular would provide. But if the reports are accurate, it might not be long before MacBook users on the go can seamlessly connect to the internet without relying on Wi-Fi or their personal hotspot.
