Apple is falling further behind in creating an in-house modem for iPhones. After multiple delays, the company targeted a 2025 spring timeline to ship its first modem. But that’s not going to happen.
A new report signals that Apple has delayed the modem’s launch until the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Apple’s five-year effort to make a 5G modem for the iPhone has so far accomplished little besides spending billions of dollars, according to a new report. The reasons for the failure are myriad but mostly come down to executives underestimating the complexity of the project.
That’s left iPhone-maker dependent on Qualcomm for modems, a company Apple has a very rocky relationship with.
Apple has renewed its agreement with Qualcomm to use its 5G modems until 2026. The current deal would have expired at the end of 2023.
The three-year deal signals Apple’s in-house modem is still far from ready. Qualcomm itself was expecting Apple to switch to its modem in 2024.
According to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s 5G modem will debut in 2025. The Cupertino giant has been working on its in-house modem for a few years now.
Qualcomm currently supplies Apple with 5G basebands for its entire product lineup. But the company knows Apple is developing its own cellular modem, and it will be ready sooner than later.
Apple said Tuesday it struck a “new multiyear, multibillion-dollar agreement” with technology manufacturer Broadcom to develop 5G radio frequency components in the United States.
“We’re thrilled to make commitments that harness the ingenuity, creativity and innovative spirit of American manufacturing,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“All of Apple’s products depend on technology engineered and built here in the United States, and we’ll continue to deepen our investments in the U.S. economy because we have an unshakable belief in America’s future,” he added.
Qualcomm, the chipmaker that supplies the 5G modems in all iPhones, on Wednesday unveiled the X75, its next-generation modem that will be the first to support 5G Advanced. This emerging cellular-wireless standard will give a speed boost to cellular-wireless networks and make mobile VR/AR more practical.
The X75 probably will be used in the iPhone 16 when it launches in 2024.
Apple’s drawn-out effort to make its own 5G modem will reportedly begin to bear fruit in 2024. This will replace ones now sourced from Qualcomm.
And the iPhone-maker is also working to produce other wireless chips it currently gets from Broadcom.
If you want a MacBook with 5G cellular wireless built into it, new data suggests you’re not alone. A surprising number of iPads are sold with integrated cellular connectivity. More than half, in fact.
Like tablets, today’s slim and lightweight MacBooks are ready to go anywhere. There’s no reason to force them to depend on Wi-Fi or an iPhone hotspot.
A new analysis of smartphone speeds in 10 countries shows iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are the fastest 5G mobile devices in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.
Ookla’s study, released Monday, listed the top five fastest “popular” 5G devices by market share in each country. iPhone 14 and 13 series models appeared in many of the lists, but failed to place in some Asian markets.
Noting the performance variations by network and country, Ookla said the analysis “provides a snapshot of what you might typically expect.”
5G service launched in India in October, but no iPhone supports the high-speed wireless networking standard… yet. Apple plans to change that in December.
And those who are part of the iOS beta program can get access even earlier.
