Apple Engineering Leader Handling 5G Efforts Leaves Company

[techwhiz]

RE: "In the future, Apple is planning to use its own custom-designed modem chips,

I highly doubt it !

It would be a total waste of Engineering resources !

Probably. But they are still going to at least try.
They aren't a member of the 5G standards committee as of yesterday.
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I wonder what the ramifications would be if such an acquisition occurs as Qualcomm supplies chips to competitors making Android smartphones.

It's not going to happen.
It would never clear regulators and the FTC.
Too many anti-competition hurdles.

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If Apple was planning on making their own modem, I would think retaining Caballero is important. However, there must be something going on behind the scenes and since both Apple and Caballero declined to comment.

Why?
Has he ever designed a LTE modem? Being at Apple for the last decade would indicate he did not.
He did work on antennae and other stuff but that's not a modem or the DSP for a modem.
Sorry, I've been in the chip industry a long time and unless the person has Architect, Principal Engineer, Distinguished or Fellow; they aren't the person that's critical at the architecture level.
On the other end if they aren't doing micro-architecture and/or RTL; they aren't important at the implementation level.
Everyone is replaceable.

 

[Danilo - Italy]

Is it me or is there quite a few execs and other high talent individuals leaving all at once?

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/25/apple-industrial-design-team-employee-changes/

Yes, it seems many. Why?

 

[pmau]

Everyone is replaceable.

... and has be to able to be replaced ... otherwise it's a risk.

 

[abrantes09]

Is it just me or are a lot of important Apple employees leaving the company. I hope its not doing any damage.

 

[hermes16]

Yes, it seems many. Why?

Is it Apple cleaning house or are rats escaping the sinking ship?
Just an open question...

 

[GIZBUG]

Caballero, you will be missed....

 

[Mansu944]

Why not buy from Huawei for non-US models?

ummm...no.

 

[Octopuss]

New faces can spark more diversity and more diversity can spark innovation.

Sure - diversity sparks innovation big time, just like cars' color variety sparks safety, or like clothes size spark fashion.

Just few years ago Apple started all this diversity bull **** over talents support and look where Apple's quality and innovation now: for 3 years at least Apple been releasing only new emojis.

 

[Solomani]

Qualcomm acquisition in 3, 2, 1...

Yes yes, Amen I say to thee!

 

[mdriftmeyer]

14 years is an eternity in SV.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Qualcomm acquisition in 3, 2, 1...

Sounds VERY close to that IBM engineer that introduced the stainless steel band of the iPhone 4 resulting in being ousted post haste.

 

[ElectricPotato]

I wonder what Qualcomm's secret recipe is?

Pursue modem excellence as if the company depended on it instead of dabbling like a dilettante.

 

[Degerz]

With an important figure like him, it'd be at least in Apple's intention to retain him as much as possible since Apple's expertise regarding baseband technology is spread thin but this just goes to show everyone that they won't be producing modems for quite a while ...

If they're truly serious about going into developing mobile wireless technology and not just solely modems then I'd wager a seat at 3GPP is in their absolute interest ?

 

[cmaier]

Everyone is replaceable.

Not me. I am special.

Sounds like he was mostly managing stuff at this point, so they should be fine.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

Qualcomm acquisition in 3, 2, 1...

Apple couldn't buy them. Qualcomm own all the patents that make the iPhone possible. Why would they conceive of selling?

 

[cmaier]

Apple couldn't buy them. Qualcomm own all the patents that make the iPhone possible. Why would they conceive of selling?

All the patents? Not so much.

 

[FFR]

Apple couldn't buy them. Qualcomm own all the patents that make the iPhone possible. Why would they conceive of selling?

Apple could. They have a couple of billion in cash laying around.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

All the patents? Not so much.

OK just remove the wireless technology part of the deal that'll render the iPhone a shinney brick then I guess you're right!

 

[FFR]

OK just remove the wireless technology part of the deal that'll render the iPhone a shinney brick them I guess you're right!

Yeah it’s not like anybody ever bought an iPod. I guess those were bricks too.

 

[ROGmaster]

Not in the least. Making a modem optimized for iOS devices will likely bring the performance benefits that making an ARM chip optimized for iOS devices (A-Series) has done.

What does a modem optimized for iOS devices mean?
What lack in optimization do modems currently used by Apple have?

 

[mdcotonopu]

To be clear, their custom modem development is still ongoing, it's apparently under someone elce now.

 

[femike]

Why not buy from Huawei for non-US models?

Because the US wants to spy on those countries too.

 

[gnasher729]

Apple has just settled their court case with Qualcomm.

Instead of developing their own 5G chips (long term) or using chips from Intel (medium term) they will be using 5G chips from Qualcomm. Therefore, Apple doesn't need someone who is good at designing their own chips, they now need someone who is good at integrating Qualcomm chips.
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Is it just me or are a lot of important Apple employees leaving the company. I hope its not doing any damage.

There are companies with a turnover of two years (average time any employee stays is two years). That is horrible. The ones that just left had been there all around 15 years more or less. That's an unusually long time to stay. And Apple has so many employees, someone's leaving every day.

 

[pratikindia]

Why?
Has he ever designed a LTE modem? Being at Apple for the last decade would indicate he did not.
He did work on antennae and other stuff but that's not a modem or the DSP for a modem.
Sorry, I've been in the chip industry a long time and unless the person has Architect, Principal Engineer, Distinguished or Fellow; they aren't the person that's critical at the architecture level.
On the other end if they aren't doing micro-architecture and/or RTL; they aren't important at the implementation level.

I think you should read the story again. He was leading Apple's 5G development.

 

[MoreRumors?]

Why?
Has he ever designed a LTE modem? Being at Apple for the last decade would indicate he did not.
He did work on antennae and other stuff but that's not a modem or the DSP for a modem.
Sorry, I've been in the chip industry a long time and unless the person has Architect, Principal Engineer, Distinguished or Fellow; they aren't the person that's critical at the architecture level.
On the other end if they aren't doing micro-architecture and/or RTL; they aren't important at the implementation level.
Everyone is replaceable.

I don't know the extent of Caballero's knowledge and input relating to modem but if Apple is planning on producing their own modem, having experienced people to get it going would be beneficial. Maybe you're correct and which may explain why he departed and neither party is commenting. As we have seen Intel having difficulties in producing a 5G modem, retaining personnel who can get it in production would be needed.