Apple Is “NO” Longer Investing On Developing Its Own 5G Modem
Reportedly, Apple is terminating the internal modem development initiative. According to MacRumors, the American technology giant has reportedly stopped developing unique 5G modem chips after several failed attempts.
A South Korean news outlet reported that Apple is reportedly considering abandoning its long-term initiative to create its own 5G modem chip. According to the forum user, who cites sources in the supply chain, the iPhone maker is getting ready to end the project entirely. Apple has reportedly spent years investing in and acquiring talent, but the corporation is still dependent on other chipmakers, such as Qualcomm, for the modems used in its devices.
Per GSMArena, a Korean-language Naver user claims Apple has begun “winding down its ongoing investment in the 5G modem development department and personnel that it has been developing in-house for several years.” Apple was rumoured to be creating a 5G modem chip for smartphones by 2025.
It seems the business’s attempts to develop its own modem chip for the anticipated fourth-generation iPhone SE model failed, as it is “expected to be completely cleaned up,” according to the post. An X tipster named Revegnus (@Tech_Reve), who says he got the same information from a Japanese source, has verified the assertions stated in the post.
According to rumors that surfaced earlier this month, Apple’s 5G modem chip for smartphones probably won’t arrive until late 2025 or early 2026. According to Bloomberg, Apple has renewed its agreement with Qualcomm to use Qualcomm’s modems in future iPhone models. The news report also added that Apple’s endeavor to construct its own modem has encountered multiple obstacles over the years, despite the company’s successful acquisition of Intel’s modem unit for $1 billion in 2019 and its subsequent efforts to develop a semiconductor.
Among Apple’s many difficulties in creating its own modem processor was avoiding infringing on Qualcomm’s several patents. As an example, one of Apple’s modem versions lacked compatibility for millimeter-wave (mmWave) 5G bands, which provide far faster speeds than Sub-6 5G bands, meaning the company couldn’t compete with Qualcomm’s chips.
Reports indicate that Apple may have to depend on Qualcomm or other suppliers for modems in its smartphones going forward, even though the company has not made a public statement about its 5G chip development plans. This could mean that Apple will not include its own modem in the iPhone SE (2022) successor.
