| Cult of Mac

Apple strikes big deal with Broadcom for US-made 5G components

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Apple struck a multibillion-dollar deal with Broadcom for 5G components made in the US.
Apple struck a multibillion-dollar deal with Broadcom for 5G components made in the US.
Photo: Brad Gibson/Cult of Mac

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.

iPhone modem-maker gets ready for faster 5G Advanced in 2024

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iPhone modem maker gets ready for faster 5G Advanced in 2024
The Qualcomm X75 modem will almost certainly appear in a future iPhone and add support for 5G Advanced.
Image: Qualcomm

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 custom 5G iPhone modem could finally launch in 2024

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Apple 5G modem chip
Qualcomm is slowly but surely getting the boot.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

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.

Here’s proof that a MacBook with built-in 5G is way overdue

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MacBook with built-in 5G is way overdue
There's no reason for Apple to drag its heels on a 5G MacBook
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

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.

iPhone 14 Pro tops 5G speed tests in US, UK and Germany

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iPhone 14 Pro models topped or placed highly for 5G speeds in many countries.
iPhone 14 Pro models topped or placed highly for 5G speeds in many countries.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

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.”

Apple begins adding 5G to iPhone in India next week

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iPhone 5G
iPhone users in India don't have to wait much longer for 5G.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

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.

iPhone 14 Pro provides up to 38% faster 5G speeds

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The iPhone 14 Pro is in the wild on launch day. Just be sure you update to iOS 16.01 before activating with your cellular carrier to avoid problems.
You will get faster 5G data speeds on the iPhone 14 Pro.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Apple is using a faster and more power-efficient Snapdragon X65 modem on the iPhone 14 Pro series. This allows the new iPhones to pull faster download speeds on 5G networks.

The new modem also reduces the latency time. Combined, these improvements will provide a better network connectivity experience on the iPhone 14 Pro.

Apple efforts to make iPhone 5G modems are bombing

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An Apple 5G modem might look like this
We apparently won't see an Apple 5G modem for years to come.
Artists concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly unable to produce the 5G modem for the 2023 iPhone, as it had hoped. It will instead have the buy the critical component from Qualcomm, a company that Cupertino has quarreled with in the past.

Cupertino already sank more than a billion dollars into this so-far-unsuccessful effort.

T-Mobile beats the competition in 5G speeds

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T-Mobile 5G service
Put your iPhone on T-Mobile for the fastest average speeds,
Photo: T-Mobile

T-Mobile is the clear winner in a cross-country study of cellular data by PCMag. For the second year in a row, rivals Verizon and AT&T can not come close to providing the same average download or upload speeds.

PCMag summed its results up with, “T-Mobile isn’t just America’s fastest network, it’s also the best.”

Unimpressed with 5G? Wait until iPhone 14.

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Unimpressed with 5G? Wait until iPhone 14.
The 2022 iPhone 14 will offer the best 5G service yet thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 modem.
Photo: Qualcomm

When iPhone 14 launches this autumn, it’s expected to offer better 5G performance than its predecessors. The iPhone 13 already offers speedy connections, but a new modem in the 2022 version will bring advantages to the next iOS handset.

Chief among these is better connections in areas with weak 5G signal.