The new iPhones from Apple could theoretically provide faster internet speeds. Apple is collaborating with TSMC to develop its own modem for future iPhone models, according to the latest rumors.
Apple is said to be testing a prototype of this modem based on the 5nm process before switching to the 4nm process in 2023. As a result, it should theoretically provide faster internet speeds than whatever Qualcomm has to offer.
According to a Nikkei report, Apple may add this critical component in the list of things it designs on its own and manufactures through its partner TSMC. Despite the fact that this is a very early report that should be taken with a grain of salt, there are signs from Qualcomm that this is a highly likely scenario.
Since arriving in the MacBook Air last year, the Cupertino tech giant's M-series processors have been all the rage in the computing industry. However, while Apple has moved the heart of its laptops and tablets away from Intel, other organs are still manufactured by other businesses. And, as we all know, Apple despises non-Apple products.
Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, predicted earlier this year that the company will develop its own 5G modem, the chip that links you to a cellular network, to replace the Qualcomm modem found in the iPad and iPhone. Kuo was unsure of a date, but stated the switch would happen in 2023 "at the earliest."
The shattered relationship between Apple and Qualcomm is well-known. The two tech titans have had a long-running spat, which erupted when Apple sued Qualcomm for "double-dipping" by demanding "unreasonable" royalties on modem chips in addition to licensing costs. All pending litigation were finally settled, and the two companies agreed to a six-year licensing agreement.
Apple's aspirations to create its own modems are no longer a mystery, after the company bought Intel's smartphone modem unit for $1 billion just months after settling its modem battle with Qualcomm. Qualcomm chips are expected to be used in Apple's upcoming iPhones before being phased out quickly. Qualcomm, which supplies modems (among other components) for the majority of smartphones, predicts that only 20% of iPhone modem orders will be placed in two years.
Apple can keep a better eye on the quality and supply of its processors by utilizing its own modems. Keeping everything in-house should allow for improved integration across Apple's product line, resulting in faster speeds and lower latency.
