Apple is already leader with its processors of the iPhone, iPad and Mac. And the upcoming A18 chip as well as the current M4 or A17 Pro chips achieve incredible levels of performance. Additionally, Apple has also develops its own chips for AirPods or even the Apple Watch. However, there is one component within the iPhone that they rely 100% on Qualcomm.
We are talking about the 5G chip, the required for high-speed connectivity to the mobile network. For years, rumors have been circulating that Apple is working on creating its own 5G connectivity chip. The path has not been easy and the current iPhone 15 still contains the Qualcomm chip.
Apple has been trying to develop its own 5G chips since 2018
For six years, Apple has on its roadmap replace Qualcomm’s 5G chips with their own. And over the years, we’ve seen how Apple sued Qualcomm for alleged anti-competitive practices, demanding $1 billion in compensation. Eventually, Apple and Qualcomm resolved the dispute.
That same year, when everything seemed calmer in terms of chips, Apple surprised us by buying Intel’s modem and smartphone processor business. More than 17,000 patents have become Apple’s with 2,200 employees. Since then, Apple has been trying to integrate its 5G chips into its iPhones, but it has always ended up depending on Qualcomm, and it seems that with the iPhone 16, the same thing will happen again. Apple’s 5G chip won’t arrive on time next September.
The iPhone SE will be the first iPhone to feature Apple’s 5G chip
According to the latest leak from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is about to take a long-awaited step: having its own 5G modem. Apple has a deal with Qualcomm until 2027, but this This does not imply that Apple cannot develop its own chips.since in 2027, iPhone models equipped with a Qualcomm chip will continue to be sold.
Manufacturing would begin in 2025 and the first iPhone to benefit from this chip would be the iPhone SE 4, which should be presented in spring 2025. Ming-Chi Kuo also specifies that the iPhone 17 will receive said 5G chip after reaching the quality standards required by Apple. and try it on a “smaller scale” with the iPhone SE 4 sales.
Concerning advantages of having an Apple chip and not Qualcommthe analyst does not say beyond that it is an advantage for Apple to depend on one less company. However, knowing Apple and its history with processors, there is surely more than one advantage for us, the users. We could have better coverage, higher transmission speeds and above all better battery management. Perhaps with more efficient connections to the antennas.
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