Since the launch of the first iPhone with 5G connectivity in 2020, the iPhone 12, Apple has been rumored to be working on its own 5G modems for its products including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. However, a new report suggests that the tech giant’s own 5G modem will not surface until 2025. Until then, Qualcomm will continue supplying Apple with connectivity modems.
Next year’s iPhone 15 will come equipped with Qualcomm’s updated 5G modem
Earlier this year in June, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed that Apple has not yet been able to successfully develop its own custom 5G modem. Kuo also said that the Cupertino tech giant would continue to work on building its own modem in an effort to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm. As of right now, Qualcomm is the sole connectivity chip supplier for Apple.
Qualcomm will remain exclusive supplier for 5G chips of 2H23 new iPhones, with a 100% supply share (vs. company’s previous estimate of 20%).
Not only will creating a custom modem help Apple reduce its reliance on Qualcomm but the move will lead to several other benefits such as a reduction in the cost of 5G-enabled devices, the development of AR-enabled devices, and more.
As for the latest development, Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu in a research note (via MacRumors) said that Apple’s 2024 iPhone lineup will come equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X75 modem. The unannounced modem is expected to be built on TSMC’s 4nm process. This will lead to a huge leap in power efficiency.
Apple’s latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X65 modem for faster 5G speeds and longer battery life. The modem was released last year and offers support for a wider 200 MHz carrier bandwidth in the mmWave spectrum. It also features power-saving technologies such as PowerSave 2.0 and can support theoretical speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second.
Next year’s iPhone 15 lineup is expected to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X70 modem, which was announced in May 2022. It features AI technology for increased performance, superior power efficiency, PowerSave 3.0, uplink carrier aggregation, standalone mmWave, and 4X sub-6 carrier aggregation.
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