Apple Still Investigating Cellular MacBook as Microsoft Ships Surface 5G

[MacRumors]

Recent reports have suggested Apple is actively considering bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac lineup as early as next year, but arch rival Microsoft isn't waiting around to find out – the company is launching its first 5G-enabled Surface laptop this month.

The Surface Laptop 5G is part of Microsoft's Copilot+ PC lineup aimed at business customers, featuring a 13.8-inch display and Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processors. Microsoft says it has six "strategically placed antennas" that allow it to automatically adjust signal paths and power based on usage. The device includes both Nano SIM and eSIM options, and can also function as a hotspot for other devices.

Starting at $1,700, Microsoft says it will begin shipping its first 5G-enabled Surface laptop on August 26 with support for over 100 carriers worldwide – though its small print notes that 5G will be available "later in 2025."

The Surface Laptop's 5G capabilities come as Apple has begun deploying its custom-built C1 modem chip in some devices. The company introduced a sub-6GHz version of its 5G modem in the iPhone 16e earlier this year and is expected to include it in the upcoming iPhone 17 "Air," which will be unveiled next month.

According to a December report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is "investigating" the possibility of adding a second-generation C2 modem to a future Mac as early as 2026. According to Gurman, Apple's next-generation C2 modem will support faster mmWave technology and is expected to arrive in 2026, debuting in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models – with inclusion in a Mac potentially shortly after.

Apple has played with the idea of a cellular MacBook for years now. Back in 2007, the company developed MacBook Pro prototypes with integrated 3G connectivity, including a SIM card slot and an extendable cellular antenna along the right side of the lid. Despite these early experiments, Apple never released a MacBook with built-in cellular capabilities. Here's hoping 2026 will be the year it happens.

Article Link: Apple Still Investigating Cellular MacBook as Microsoft Ships Surface 5G

 

[Anaxarxes]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

 

[dubiousgif]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

Most hotspot data is limited significantly though. If you need fast data directly on the laptop then this could be useful.

 

[ZipZilla]

I worked for one of the big carriers for many years and we sold laptops for awhile that had a built-in cellular modem. Not much interest. In theory, it has the benefit of not running down the battery on your phone when using the hotspot. But like cellular iPads, it's an extra line of service and added cost (when most people have the hotspot on their phone at no extra charge.)

 

[bluecoast]

I’d never buy a cellular enabled Mac, yet each year apple ships iPads with cellular - so there must be a market need.

Now they’ve got the C1 modem, it’s surely a matter of time before we see it in the Mac - but probably the c2 or 3.

 

[AppleTO]

Most hotspot data is limited significantly though. If you need fast data directly on the laptop then this could be useful.

This wouldn’t really make a difference, at least in North America. You would still have the same limitations on the laptop plan directly.

I can see this being potentially useful in situations where someone is already constantly hotspotting their phone, if they’re willing to pay extra.

 

[Scott LaPointe]

meh... I feel this is for people like technicians who have to drive to remote places to fix power lines and cell towers and may need connectivity, there's wifi pretty much anywhere now.... these cell modems just add extra cost and licensing that just drives the price up.

 

[ctg7w6]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

Here we go with the usual “if I don’t need it, why should anyone else have it.”

My hotspot does not work very well and it is limited.

This would be a day one purchase for me.

I’ve never understood the people on this site who, I would have thought would like more options and technology.

But instead so many argue for less options and condemn other companies for technologies calling them useless (though usually only until Apple releases their own version, then it’s ok).

 

[Mazda 3s]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

You act as though you speak for EVERYONE.

I personally use my iPhone as a hotspot, but I can see instances where having 5G built into a MacBook might be preferable. For example, my battery drains much faster, and my phone gets very hot as well. People here complain so much about iPhone battery life, and using it out in the field as a personal hotspot has to be one of the most demanding scenarios.

MacBooks have a much larger battery to compensate.

And by that token, Apple sells cellular-equipped iPads, so why not cellular-equipped MacBooks?

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

I never understood it either, except I guess the excuse could me made that some people have very low data allotments on their personal hotspot or may not even have a hotspot if they have some cheapo plan.

But then again, looking at Verizon, as an example, charges $85/mo for unlimited laptop data plan unless you have an Ultimate smartphone plan (which comes with hotspot) then it drops to $15/mo which makes it an affordable convenince.

Let's not forget that businesses typically buy these and with their deep pockets, it's more likely they'll outfit their road warriors with the full kit.

 

[rappr]

Having a computer with cellular is a big “nice to have”. The way I use my cellular iPad is to jump on a prepaid service the few times a year I travel and want to use the built in modem. No need to pay for that service all year. I assume cellular MacBooks would work the same way.

 

[Felix01]

- but probably the c2 or 3.

The article said C2.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Here we go with the usual “if I don’t need it, why should anyone else have it.”

My hotspot does not work very well and it is limited.

This would be a day one purchase for me.

I’ve never understood the people on this site who, I would have thought would like more options and technology.

But instead so many argue for less options and condemn other companies for technologies calling them useless (though usually only until Apple releases their own version, then it’s ok).

You don't say which phone you have that has a crappy hotspot -- is it an iPhone and if so, which one?

 

[syklee26]

zero added value? far from correct. mobile hotspot connection can be very unreliable and you are prone to leave laptop to go somewhere with your phone, disconnecting the laptop.

Plus, Apple now has C1 (or whatever future iteration). Adding cellular would not be too difficult.

Super slim macbook with cellular connectivity would be awesome in trains and cabs.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Most hotspot data is limited significantly though. If you need fast data directly on the laptop then this could be useful.

No limit here in Europe on hotspots, most are 200-500Mbps on 5G. Literally no need.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

For a small percentage of commercial needs it could be handy. Most laptop owners use their laptops in and at properties with Wifi, as their big phone is their go-to device. For Apple laptops in general, the rumoured budget model is not needed. For MBA, the old wedge shape was a nicer design and as a machine it had better port variety, Apple should bring back something like that with narrow bezels. It was easier to pick up a nicer to use, more port-practical, with a more ergonomic approach angle for your wrists. That in 13” and 14.5” would sort MBA, cellular aside.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Here we go with the usual “if I don’t need it, why should anyone else have it.”

My hotspot does not work very well and it is limited.

This would be a day one purchase for me.

I’ve never understood the people on this site who, I would have thought would like more options and technology.

But instead so many argue for less options and condemn other companies for technologies calling them useless (though usually only until Apple releases their own version, then it’s ok).

Hotspot does not work well is interesting, may I ask why? Mine always connects instantly, even if my phone is on my pocket, in my bag etc.

If my phone is low on battery, I disable my mac's wifi and connect via usb cable, works even faster while charging my phone.

the limitation carriers artificially putting on your hotspot use is what you as customers should be fighting against.

 

[subjonas]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

The value just depends on the frequency one needs internet on their laptop away from known wifi networks, also whether one has a hotspot plan with enough data where they aren't worrying about limits or throttling.

I'm right on the border as far as frequency. I don't mind hotspotting, but I need a better data plan that doesn't throttle after a limit because I use a lot of data for work. I also wouldn't mind a cellular laptop as an option. It would just save phone battery for wireless hotspot or having to pull out the phone and cable and having them hanging off the laptop for wired hotspot. But I would want a pay as you go plan because I need it somewhat sporadically and in waves.

But I don't see cellular laptops a lot, and Best Buy doesn't have it as a filter, so it seems like a niche demand.

 

[Gherkin]

People that are complaining about spotty and slow hotspot need to get on T-Mobile. I literally use it every day on my iPad and MBA. Connection is never spotty and it’s fast.

 

[Anaxarxes]

You act as though you speak for EVERYONE.

I personally use my iPhone as a hotspot, but I can see instances where having 5G built into a MacBook might be preferable. For example, my battery drains much faster, and my phone gets very hot as well. People here complain so much about iPhone battery life, and using it out in the field as a personal hotspot has to be one of the most demanding scenarios.

MacBooks have a much larger battery to compensate.

And by that token, Apple sells cellular-equipped iPads, so why not cellular-equipped MacBooks?

you can disable the mac's wifi and connect your phone via cable.

 

[bunce66]

0 added value. Every person has their mobile phone glued to their hand, a personal hotspot is super quick to connect, no setup at all is needed.

Who takes their laptop only and leaves their phone at home?

Some people have enough money that a few hundred bucks extra to remove the steps of setting up the phone hotspot is worth it.

 

[MayaUser]

Here we go with the usual “if I don’t need it, why should anyone else have it.”

My hotspot does not work very well and it is limited.

This would be a day one purchase for me.

I’ve never understood the people on this site who, I would have thought would like more options and technology.

But instead so many argue for less options and condemn other companies for technologies calling them useless (though usually only until Apple releases their own version, then it’s ok).

and not to talk how much battery drains as well

 

[bhall110]

I had a Dell rugged extreme 10 years ago that had built in 4g lte. It was useful as I was always on the go. Being able to just open the computer saved a little bit of time.

 

[progx]

Wouldn’t be a crazy thought if they added their C modem to MacBooks in the future. However, I do recall Windows laptops in the past with cellular modems built in not selling very well. The old laptop card was the popular approach back in the 2000s, but you can get a USB modem relatively cheap for those needs these days.

However, I’m in the super minority who would look at this option. My iPad Air M3 has cellular and it’s better to have it independent of a hotspot since you don’t lose access to another device to use it.

 

[asparagus]

I think most people miss a key thing: most of us on here are doing value propositions. There are people and businesses that do not think like that.

'my sales guy needs the best there is. get him everything he could imagine'. boom - now there's a cell phone subscription for the mac.

So you might think - ok, but how does that help? Look at the phones / watches / ipads. All the major carriers sell mac stuff with varying discounts and promos. So if apple does this (and it's a no brainer, to me, given no more Qualcomm 5%), then your local Verizon store will also carry MBP's.

I had a CEO buy a $6k MBP 'top of the line' just because it was the top of the line. There are people whose math and analysis is completely different from yours. For most of us, yes, this is a addon that will never be used. But I 100% guarantee it'll get used. My father has a iphone with a hotspot, and yet he also has a data subscription on his 13" M1 ipad. Why? he 'likes not having to think about it'. And.... there ya go.