The development of Apple’s proprietary 5G modem has been delayed
Apple has extended its agreement to purchase modems from Qualcomm for another three years. This is evidence that work on its own 5G modem is taking longer than previously expected, as reported by Bloomberg.
Apple is Qualcomm’s largest customer, accounting for nearly a quarter of the company’s revenue. Qualcomm said in a statement that the deal with Apple covers smartphone launches in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The agreement was originally set to expire this year, and the iPhone 15 line was rumored to be the last to use Qualcomm modems.
Apple has reportedly been working on its modem since 2018, and in 2019 it acquired most of Intel’s smartphone modem business. The modem launch dates have already been shifted from 2023 to 2024 and 2025.
The iPhone 15 was supposed to be the last smartphone with a Qualcomm modem
Earlier this month, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple’s proprietary modem would be released in 2025. Qualcomm expects that by the time the new iPhone model is released in 2026, the company’s share of iPhone shipments will be 20%.
Apple wants its 5G modem to go the way of Apple Silicon, boasting significant battery life and performance advantages.
