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Apple Moving From Intel's Infineon to Qualcomm for Next-Generation iPhone Cellular Chip?

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Apr 12, 2001
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Late last month, Intel announced that it will acquire the wireless unit of Infineon, Apple's longtime supplier for the iPhone's baseband controller for supporting cellular connectivity. At the time, Intel CEO Paul Otellini noted that Apple CEO Steve Jobs was "very happy" about the pending acquisition.

Unwired View reports on an article [Google translation] in the China Times claiming that Apple is planning to ditch Infineon's solutions in favor of ones from Qualcomm for use in the fifth-generation iPhone.
Up until now, the baseband chip supplier for the iPhones and the iPad 3G has been Infineon, a company recently acquired by Intel for a boatload of cash. And the fact that they were Apple's supplier has to have had some impact on the size of that pile of cash.

Well, that may have been money better spent on something else, since it seems that the baseband chips for the iPhone 5 will come from Qualcomm, not Infineon. Apple will continue to design the application processor themselves (like they did with the A4 inside the iPad, iPhone 4 and the newest iPod Touch).
Click to expand...
Qualcomm is most-widely known for its development of CDMA technology such as that used by Verizon and Sprint for their cellular networks. A Verizon-compatible iPhone has been the subject of long-standing rumors, with Apple reportedly having contracted with Qualcomm for CDMA chips for use in a Verizon iPhone set for launch early next year.

Consequently, speculation is naturally drifting toward Apple making the full changeover to Qualcomm if that company can also supply acceptable GSM chips, or perhaps even a single hybrid chip capable of supporting both standards.

Article Link: Apple Moving From Intel's Infineon to Qualcomm for Next-Generation iPhone Cellular Chip?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/09/10/apple-moving-from-intels-infineon-to-qualcomm-for-next-generation-iphone-cellular-chip/
Is there any speculation that this could be connected to Apple's possible upcoming implementation of CDMA?
 
I suspect that Apple will accept nothing less than a cellular chipset that does both CDMA and GSM.
 
Since it says "Qualcomm is most-widely known for its development of CDMA technology such as that used by Verizon and Sprint" and this is the "next" iPhone does that just mean the next one to come out will be CDMA and use a qualcomm chips, whilst the phones that work on 3G already will use Infineon and be sold simulltaneously?

Or do Qualcomm chips support both CDMA and the current 3G and there would only ever be one version of iPhone, just that it'd work on both?
 
Either way you look at it, this is nothing but rumor and speculation.

It's almost obvious that Apple would need to acquire a source for CDMA chips for a Verizon iPhone, and Qualcomm is the most obvious choice; however, this doesn't mean that Apple would necessarily have to abandon the Infineon chip in the process. I find it highly unlikely that Apple would fully abandon one standard for the other when the iPhone is doing so well where it is.

On the other hand, if Qualcomm can offer chips for both standards, then it could become a matter of economics where by buying both cellular standards from one source, Apple saves money on each of them.
 
Writer didn't know what he is talking about. Qualcomm is also the premier supplier of HSPA chips in the world. iPhone would get waaay better reception for AT&T with Qualcomm vs. Infineon chips.
 
Ok let's stop this right here, right now.

Yes, Qualcomm was the driving force behind CDMA.

However, they have their hands all up in UMTS and LTE as well.

There. Don't read anything more to this than what's on the surface.

EDIT: And for christ's sake... can we get a writer for page one stories that knows SOMETHING about cellular technology?

"Consequently, speculation is naturally drifting toward Apple making the full changeover to Qualcomm if that company can also supply acceptable GSM chips, or perhaps even a single hybrid chip capable of supporting both standards."

The MSM6500, available in the middle of 2003, was a Qualcomm chip that did (does) both CDMA and GSM. They've done plenty more since then.
 
ActionJax said:
I suspect that Apple will accept nothing less than a cellular chipset that does both CDMA and GSM.
Click to expand...

Unless it costs more.

Also, I wonder if this is the real reason we heard that Qualcomm is looking to higher Apple-aware engineers? We assumed it was becasue Apple was coming out with a Verizon phone but perhaps it was just because they knew that Apple was switching to them for GSM chips?
 
Makes sense, especially with previous Qualcomm rumors. Just release a dual mode CDMA sexta-band GSM phone with LTE support and release it on every damn carrier out there and be done with it.
 
you know, i was reading some stuff online, and call me a fool but I think the iPhone will be on Verizon someday!
 
tomegun said:
So this is a round about way of creating another "iPhone to Verizon" thread?:D
Click to expand...

+2.

However, I'm sure there subsidiary will get specifications from ARM and work with T.I. for the super new Cortex-A15 MPCore processor, speeds up to 2.5 GHz, can support up to 4 MB of L2 cache, and can address up to 1 terabyte of memory.

Also this can feed 3 monitors simultaneously with 1080P on chip encode/decoding; Qualcomm's latest only does 720p.
 
Perfect for anyone on an ancient Cingulair GAIT plan.

edit: Oh wait. That was GSM/TDMA, not GSM/CDMA.
 
Steve, I'd kiss your sneakers if Apple partnered up with Qualcomm and in so doing, boosted Qualcomm's stock to ANYTHING better then it is today and thereby doing my stock portfolio some good. Unfortunately, bought Qualcomm, it did good, analysts forecasting it would do better... WRONG!!! :mad:

So held on to the few shares waiting for any uptick... I hate to lose money... :(
 
ThomasJL said:
Is there any speculation that this could be connected to Apple's possible upcoming implementation of CDMA?
Click to expand...

or AT&T's and t-mobile's implementation called WCDMA?

everyone uses CDMA, except GSM as it is currently known as is usually called UMTS and not CDMA
 
Ugh another Verizon iphone thread. Is there some NEWS that can be on the front page, please? News = new.
 
Intel needs a major competitor soon. I don't really like that they're slowly starting to dominate all aspects of the CPU market. Eventually that will lead to a lazy Intel with no ambition.
 
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