Apple in 'Advanced Talks' to Buy Intel's Smartphone Modem Chip Business

[cmaier]

Decent bundle of patents to cross-license with Qualcomm and others, also includes all the Infineon IP. Will offset their Qualcomm license fees a bit.

When Apple stops buying Qualcomm chips, I assume they’ll continue licensing Qualcomm’s non-SEP portfolio?

Hard to know. But I imagine that if you look only at non-SEP, apple plus this intel purchase must be about as strong a portfolio as Qualcomm. Apple has a ton of processor, graphics, etc patents that Qualcomm likely needs as much as apple needs Qualcomm’s non-SEP stuff.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Hard to know. But I imagine that if you look only at non-SEP, apple plus this intel purchase must be about as strong a portfolio as Qualcomm. Apple has a ton of processor, graphics, etc patents that Qualcomm likely needs as much as apple needs Qualcomm’s non-SEP stuff.

Interesting. I was only thinking of the modem-related IP.

iirc one of the roadblocks to a licensing deal a few years ago was Apple refusing to (being forced to) cross license its entire portfolio. I suppose them getting into the modem space changes that calculus.

 

[robjulo]

Right....now...amongst all of your other expertise....you are a chip manufacturing expert.

Apple tends to not produce rubbish anything when they take things in-house. Their custom chips are industry-leading across the board.

 

[cmaier]

Right....now...amongst all of your other expertise....you are a chip manufacturing expert.

He’s not wrong.

 

[MandiMac]

What would Apple name the first chips?

C1
Q1
L1

Any other guesses?

W3.

 

[rp2011]

Gives Apple something to bring to the table when negotiating with Qualcomm. The value is in the swathe of patents rather than better than Qualcomm technology.

...and competition is good for everyone

 

[rodpascoe]

Soooo the iPhone would still be crippled with rubbish modems then. Stupid move to make if you ask me.

“Crippled”, “rubbish”. Come on, nothing you would notice unless you run a benchmark.

 

[apolloa]

“Crippled”, “rubbish”. Come on, nothing you would notice unless you run a benchmark.

Actually I DO notice when my phone randomly drops signal, both WiFi and Cellular, then reconnects a few seconds later... and it’s not the signal strength either.
So yes I do consider it to be rubbish, many on here will attest to how the Intel modem drops signal more often then other phones.

I doubt I’d notice the speed difference, but you definitely notice when the signal randomly drops.

 

[rodpascoe]

Actually I DO notice when my phone randomly drops signal, both WiFi and Cellular, then reconnects a few seconds later... and it’s not the signal strength either.
So yes I do consider it to be rubbish, many on here will attest to how the Intel modem drops signal more often then other phones.

I doubt I’d notice the speed difference, but you definitely notice when the signal randomly drops.

It happens on all phones will all brands of modem.

So many reasons for dropped calls etc.

 

[lionkin]

Bad move, please stick with Qualcomm modems. They are far superior compare to intel.

 

[apolloa]

It happens on all phones will all brands of modem.

So many reasons for dropped calls etc.

No, I know as those on here know an iPhone without an Intel modem does NOT drop the signal as much. Stop apologising for Apple..

 

[gigapocket1]

What I don’t get is why Apple keeps all this tech to themselves.
I really do think that part of their next business move should be selling their technology to other companies.
If apple was to buy intel and actually make great modems.. why not sell these modems to other vendors...

 

[tridley68]

I feel this is good news now Apple can further distance themselves from Qualcomm

 

[realtuner]

No, I know as those on here know an iPhone without an Intel modem does NOT drop the signal as much. Stop apologising for Apple..

They “know”?

Based on what? Anecdotal evidence? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY has done any regimented tests to show this. Unless you have a source to some detailed modem test that I haven’t seen yet.

 

[cmaier]

What I don’t get is why Apple keeps all this tech to themselves.
I really do think that part of their next business move should be selling their technology to other companies.
If apple was to buy intel and actually make great modems.. why not sell these modems to other vendors...

Because apple makes money selling products to consumers, not to other companies. If they make great modems it will be because they design them specifically to integrate with their own devices, build them into a-series chips, optimize them for iOS, etc. Not because they design them to be plug-and-play replacements for Qualcomm modems that can be used in any manufacturer’s devices.

 

[FFR]

They “know”?

Based on what? Anecdotal evidence? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY has done any regimented tests to show this. Unless you have a source to some detailed modem test that I haven’t seen yet.

There was a Qualcomm funded report, but that was comparing a 2017 intel modem to a 2018 intel modem.

Nobody noticed.

Other than that nothing.

I’m loving my iPhone with an intel modem, according to some it must be a lemon.

 

[realtuner]

There was a Qualcomm funded report, but that was comparing a 2017 intel modem to a 2018 intel modem.

Nobody noticed.

Other than that nothing.

I’m loving my iPhone with an intel modem, according to some it must be a lemon.

Here’s mine from a couple weeks ago in another thread.

Done on a moving train while going to work, no less.

 

[Brien]

What I don’t get is why Apple keeps all this tech to themselves.
I really do think that part of their next business move should be selling their technology to other companies.
If apple was to buy intel and actually make great modems.. why not sell these modems to other vendors...

Because the clones worked oh so well?

 

[FFR]

Here’s mine from a couple weeks ago in another thread.

Done on a moving train while going to work, no less.

View attachment 849545

It’s Ridiculous when some posters just make stuff up.

 

[ksec]

1 billion is much cheaper than the 3 billion they paid for Beats headphones!

No wonder the discussions stalled, Intel paid 1.4 Billion for Infineon, after all the losses and investment over the years they could only recoup 1 Billion.

Decent bundle of patents to cross-license with Qualcomm and others, also includes all the Infineon IP. Will offset their Qualcomm license fees a bit.

When Apple stops buying Qualcomm chips, I assume they’ll continue licensing Qualcomm’s non-SEP portfolio?

Yes, which is likely part of the new terms anyway.

I seriously doubt Apple will integrate Modem into their SoC like Qualcomm. Apple just don't have that die budget to play around. You are looking at an extra ~50mm on top of the current ~90mm SoC. Not to mention Apple have always make the Network / Cellular part separated from SoC for security reason.

I do expect it will be part of the W series chip though, Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G/5G integrated into one and reused across all their product line. Their WiFi contract with Broadcom were only renewed up to 2021. I am sort of expecting Apple's own WiFi chip in 2022.

 

[GFLPraxis]

Aren't Intel chips slower than Qualcomm?

Why not just buy both?

Yes, but with Intel shutting down Qualcomm has a virtual monopoly and can continue to abuse pricing.

Hopefully Apple can improve the Intel chips to be competitive.

 

[FFR]

Yes, but with Intel shutting down Qualcomm has a virtual monopoly and can continue to abuse pricing.

Hopefully Apple can improve the Intel chips to be competitive.

Apple was intels only smartphone customer.
Nothing is going to change.

 

[melodyfo1974]

so much corporate drama, should be adapted to a telenovela

Or AppleTV?

 

[cmaier]

No wonder the discussions stalled, Intel paid 1.4 Billion for Infineon, after all the losses and investment over the years they could only recoup 1 Billion.



Yes, which is likely part of the new terms anyway.

I seriously doubt Apple will integrate Modem into their SoC like Qualcomm. Apple just don't have that die budget to play around. You are looking at an extra ~50mm on top of the current ~90mm SoC. Not to mention Apple have always make the Network / Cellular part separated from SoC for security reason.

I do expect it will be part of the W series chip though, Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G/5G integrated into one and reused across all their product line. Their WiFi contract with Broadcom were only renewed up to 2021. I am sort of expecting Apple's own WiFi chip in 2022.

Putting it on the SoC doesn’t hurt security as long as it is on a secure bus (same as off-chip). And there are a lot of chips out there bigger than 140mm square.

 

[sahnjuro]

Monopoly