Modem – BIG

Apple has long been working to replace components in its devices with its own chips, most notably aiming to replace the Qualcomm 5G modem with its own modem. According to new details published by Bloomberg‘s reliable Mark Gurman, Apple could drop a key Broadcom component in 2025, while its modem chip could be ready for late 2024 or early 2025.

Gurman cites people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. The Broadcom component in question handles Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on Apple devices. Apple has started developing its in-house replacement and aims to use it in devices in 2025. Moreover, Apple is reportedly working on a follow-up chip that would combine Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modem capabilities into a single component.

Apple is Broadcom’s largest customer and accounted for roughly 20 percent of the company’s revenue in the last fiscal year, Gurman reported.

Meanwhile, Apple’s work on a cellular modem has been moving along slowly. Rumours have swirled for years about Apple’s plan to replace Qualcomm chips in the iPhone with an in-house modem chip, and the company supposedly planned to make the transition this year. However, Apple reportedly delayed the switch after encountering issues with overheating, battery life, and more.

Gurman reports that Qualcomm received 22 percent of its annual sales from Apple.

If these details are accurate, it sounds like the 2025 iPhone could offer some significant changes in the wireless connectivity department. However, given Apple’s troubles with the in-house modem chip so far, it’s possible that other delays could push back the company’s plans. It also remains to be seen what, if any, benefit Apple’s in-house chips would bring. If Apple fails to make its chips at least as good as the components from Broadcom and Qualcomm, it could make the iPhone less compelling compared to other phones.

Source: Bloomberg

Apple and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are reportedly forging a closer partnership that will see the latter make 5G modems for the California-based tech giant.

It’s been long-rumoured that Apple would develop its own modems for iPhones to reduce reliance on Qualcomm. Apple and Qualcomm previously faced off in a legal battle over how the latter priced its modem chips and licensing fees, which Apple settled in 2019. Since then, Apple has gone back to using Qualcomm’s modems in iPhones, particularly its 5G models. Before that, Apple used Intel-made modems in iPhones — the company acquired Intel’s modem division in 2019 following the Qualcomm settlement.

According to a new report from Nikkei Asia, Apple plans to have TSMC produce 5G modems for the 2023 iPhone. Four people familiar with the matter told the publication that Apple would leverage TSMC’s 4nm chip production technology for the chip. Additionally, Apple will develop its own radio frequency and millimetre wave (mmWave) components to complement the modem chip. Finally, the iPhone-maker reportedly will develop its own power management chip specifically for the modem.

In current iPhones, Qualcomm provides all those components.

Aside from saving money on licensing fees to Qualcomm, Apple’s in-house 5G modem could bring several other benefits. For one, it would allow for deeper hardware integration between the modem and Apple’s A-series chip, which could yield performance boosts and more power efficiency. It could potentially be a space-saving measure too, compared to having two separate components to handle processing and modem functionality.

However, there are several potential difficulties that come with making an in-house modem. For one, Apple’s modem has to support not just 5G but also 4G, 3G and 2G technologies. Moreover, the modem has to do this without infringing on Qualcomm’s patents.

With all the in mind, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple’s modem ambitions play out. Given how Apple has handled major hardware transitions before — a recent example being the Intel x86 to ARM-based Apple Silicon switch — I think Apple might be able to pull off the modem move. However, that depends if the company can make a competitive 5G modem.

Source: Nikkei Asia Via: 9to5Mac