Apple’s seemingly quixotic, years-long modem effort still won’t be bearing fruit in the near future as Qualcomm on Monday announced that it has entered into an agreement with Apple to supply Snapdragon 5G Modem‑RF Systems for smartphone launches in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
“This agreement reinforces Qualcomm’s track record of sustained leadership across 5G technologies and products.” – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Qualcomm also said that the patent licensing deal inked with Apple in 2019 remains in place. That deal expires in 2025, but the companies have an option to extend it every two years.
Just last week, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected Apple to finally deploy its own modem chips starting in 2025. Looks like that isn’t happening.
MacDailyNews Take: Which so-called team at Apple is worse: those responsible for Siri or those still trying and failing to develop a homegrown modem?
To paraphrase Steve Jobs: What is Apple’s modem supposed to do? [someone says: “Work.”] So, why the fuck doesn’t it do that? You’ve tarnished Apple’s reputation… You should hate each other for having let each other down… [disbands team and names new executive to run Apple’s modem effort]
See also: Huawei’s Buran? New smartphone shows 5G capabilities despite U.S. tech sanctions – September 1, 2023
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From what I see Apple’s 5G modems are already doing a great job fulfilling their purpose: getting price concessions from Qualcomm.
I don’t remember any mention of price concessions attributed to Apple modem development. Can you please cite a source to back your assertion?
When the Apple Vision Pro is released, it will become apparent that Apple will have to design a in house modem, if they ever hope to fit a future generation of the Apple Vision Pro onto a frame of glasses that’s probably the endgame, and to do that takes time, that’s how the long game works.
Well one thing is for sure Apple won’t go from 100% imported to 100% Apple modems in one year so whatever the true situation they will be using Qualcomm models for a few years yet so 2026 doesn’t mean necessarily the start of their own model. Even when they do introduce it like their previous in-house designs it will likely take a while to be fully competitive.
Unfortunately unlike other previous in-house designs, the drop in connectivity quality from what they now get from Qualcomm modems will have to be pretty small or iPhones will get a very bad rap. Those modems handle the cellular and wifi signals after all. On the bright side any iPhone customer that feels it’s a downgrade will help sell more prior generation iPhones to replace any broken ones and help reduce ‘old’ inventory.