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Apple's Custom 5G Modem Could 'Change the Way iPhone Looks and Works' in the Long Term
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"changing an internal component could change how the product operates eventually" who would've guessed
'Could' is doing a lot of heavy journalistic lifting, even for a rumor article on a rumor site.
This is all about money and ego. Qualcomm’s licensing terms are outrageous. I get paying for the product (modem) but a royalty that is based on the retail price of the end product? You’ve got to be kidding me.
Tim Cook thinks: “How hard can this be?”. He buys up Intel‘s failed modem business and figures he’ll show Qualcomm. Turns out that RF is more black magic than science and is really, really hard to get right. Oh well, Billionaire problems. I guess that’s why I’m paid the small bucks.
Tim Cook thinks: “How hard can this be?”. He buys up Intel‘s failed modem business and figures he’ll show Qualcomm. Turns out that RF is more black magic than science and is really, really hard to get right. Oh well, Billionaire problems. I guess that’s why I’m paid the small bucks.
You will find many topics about the cellular issue. My family member has Android with the same provider as me and the Android has signal and my iPhone has no signal in some areas.
The problem that Apple has vis-a-vis Qualcomm is that Apple can't really differentiate its connectivity if it has to depend on Qualcomm for everything. And any enhancement Apple requests will make it out to the Android side eventually.
As the M-series chips have shown, removing abstraction has benefits. Removing layers from something as core as the modem should improve performance and power for sure. Is it worth billions? It depends on licensing.
As the M-series chips have shown, removing abstraction has benefits. Removing layers from something as core as the modem should improve performance and power for sure. Is it worth billions? It depends on licensing.
They literally can't avoid using Qualcomm IP....Money. The licensing fees paid to Qualcomm are based on the total retail prices of the product, estimated to average $7.50 per device.
Here's How Much Apple Was Paying Qualcomm in Royalties | The Motley Fool
The Mac maker was paying the mobile chip giant over $1 billion per year.www.fool.com
If Apple manages to make their own modems, avoid using Qualcomm's IP, and reduce their licensing fees, that adds up over millions/billions of devices. It doesn't matter if you get a slightly-worse-but-good-enough modem if they can save $5.
And a much smaller iPhone circuit board as I mentioned earlier to allow for a bigger camera module and/or bigger battery pack.
Hmmm.... I wonder what they're thinking about if a little chip like this might change the way the phone looks. Right now, we don't see the chip in any capacity. The only thing I can think of would be a new antenna design perhaps.
In an area with decent cell signal, or better, OP’s statement that people don’t really care who makes the modem seems spot-on!
I’m currently in a rural area with cell towers being sparse. And lots of rugged hills and valleys etc….
The newer the phone, the better chance you get a USABLE signal, roaming or not. I’ve got a 13PM, and some of the new Android phones (Apple also) just connect better…
I’m currently in a rural area with cell towers being sparse. And lots of rugged hills and valleys etc….
The newer the phone, the better chance you get a USABLE signal, roaming or not. I’ve got a 13PM, and some of the new Android phones (Apple also) just connect better…
Eventually, your iPhone will be your AirPort / Time Capsule. In combination with their own network service, you will simply have to move your phone too within the vicinity of your Mac, AppleTV, iPad, and AppleWatch and let the magic happen. That is, until your 10 TB iPhone that gets 2 Gb a second can't handle the amount of content that you use on the daily.
Qualcomm doesn't say that for fear of FRAND and anti-trust retaliation, but all of their competitors use that as an excuse to keep prices high and not do in-house development of their own.
I don't think you can ever discount fast for fast sake in the tech industry. Startups and all kinds of innovation only exist because of unlocking of speeds previously unimagined. Designers and engineers don't just excel when they face technical constraints, they also excel when previous technical constraints are unlocked for them.
The 'could' is to allow Apple to insert anything the user has on their most favoritest wish list: bigger battery, bigger camera sensors, more camera sensors, more antennas, ad infinitum. The fact is that we don't really know when it is coming since it has been "soon" since they started, or anything about it in terms of size/power/configuration. It's just an open wish list that generates articles and thus clicks.
I live in the sticks and, of course, right by my house is practically a no signal zone. I drive a half mile and I'll get a bar or 2 of 5G, but I can't actually get any traffic in a meaningful way. Some or that is due to 5G antennas without actual backhaul improvements, but some of it is probably my ancient 12PM just being confused.
This is the 2nd article in as many weeks? Count me extremely skeptical -- still.
Has everyone forgotten that last year MR quoted WSJ's article specifically "...But tests late last year found the chip was too slow and prone to overheating. Its circuit board was so big it would take up half an iPhone, making it unusable."
www.macrumors.com
So if the reference to 'last year' was 2022 -- in 2 years Apple has managed to resolve all those issues? Not saying it's not impossible, but I don't buy it. The article also mentioned the performance was approximately 3 years behind Qualcomm's. Even if these new rumors turn out to be true, I think there are enough folks who were burnt with the reduced performance (compared to Qualcomm) Intel modems from the 8-11 series, that they'll shy away until the 2nd iteration.
Has everyone forgotten that last year MR quoted WSJ's article specifically "...But tests late last year found the chip was too slow and prone to overheating. Its circuit board was so big it would take up half an iPhone, making it unusable."
WSJ: Apple's 5G Modem Prototypes 'Three Years Behind Qualcomm's Best Chip'
In the last few years, Apple has spent billions of dollars attempting to develop its own modem chip to replace the Qualcomm modem chips that it uses...
www.macrumors.com
So if the reference to 'last year' was 2022 -- in 2 years Apple has managed to resolve all those issues? Not saying it's not impossible, but I don't buy it. The article also mentioned the performance was approximately 3 years behind Qualcomm's. Even if these new rumors turn out to be true, I think there are enough folks who were burnt with the reduced performance (compared to Qualcomm) Intel modems from the 8-11 series, that they'll shy away until the 2nd iteration.
The limitations of that supposed strategy is hotspotting and of course, the cost of the mobile service.
but it would be pretty good for those that do want that service.
the likely thing is it being available as the wireless connectivity options will all be intergated in the one chip and antenna system, and ultimately of course in the SOC. The one chip for everything. Thus it would be available regardless of the product. And lead to significant saving is efficiency (read battery life) and interior space. And of course, a margin gain For Apple.
I suppose Apple could turnoff features for different products, but why bother? People will still buy an iPhone and a MBP. And like me, an iPad anyway. But I only have one mobile subscription and hotspot. It would be an ecosystem selling point however.
