Apple's In-House 5G Modem Work Faces Further Delays

[OSXconvert]

While I’ve been educated about the benefits of Qualcomm’s IP, I wonder if there may also be a bit of payola going on with the cell networks themselves to make sure that Qualcomm modems perform better.

 

[M3gatron]

They could, but then they would have to continue to supply modems to all of Qualcomm's current customers, along with future ones. And bi-furcating the product line to implement features they want just iPhones to have could bring about legal, regulatory and/or development challenges.

So it is probably in Apple's better long-term interests to continue to develop their own custom cellular modems designed around the features and performance they want and continue to pay Qualcomm until said modems are ready to ship.

Not really they wouldn't be able to, no matter how much they would want to. First QCOM is a very large leading tech company, Apple would have to make an unrefusable offer and that would be very very expensive. Second no government would approve such a deal, it would 100% be blocked by the US, China, UK and EU, no question about it.

Now regarding the modem, obviously it's not as easy as some users on this site assumed a couple of years ago, its not the same as designing a CPU and it's no just about money and what foundries are being used. To be honest Apple doesn't look more successful at this Modem design business than Intel.

 

[killhippie]

Then I was wrong. But who knows what Apple will try and do to really separate it from Qualcomm’s. Optimization can still potentially be one for better efficiency, but by optimization this time, I do not mean for iOS. More of an architectural advantage like Apple Silicon already has. But overall, just another reason why to purchase an Apple device over others. Which is basically Apple’s objective here…. and still sell products at the same price whilst cutting costs with this new modem. 😑

What optimisation? What does the iPhone modem need that Qualcomm's excellent modems don't provide? CPU's are very different to modems, modems are hard to make and Qualcomm hold all the patents, look at the mess Intel created, what can Apple make a modem do that we really need, a modem connects you to a network. I trust Qualcomm to do that just fine with AI with no other optimisation needed. Apple cant make gains like Apple silicon with modems they are different beasts.

 

[vincedu69]

Beyond trying to design their own chip, another reason to try this is simply to have a better angle in contracts with Qualcomm. If you sign a deal in 2023 for 2026-2027 with your provider, which you might become a competitor of within a few years, you might be able to get a good deal.
If that deal is worth half a billion or even billions of dollars, and you acquired a company that cost you less to obtain this good deal, then you make more money. Apple being a publicly traded company, that's what matters at the end of the day.

 

[ikjadoon]

Intel had a working 5G modem available. Apple didn't need to start from scratch, nor are they doing that.

Intel absorbed the Infineon 3G team and created 4G modems. Apple absorbed Intel's 5G team, including all the Israeli engineers which already had a working product. Four years later, still no product.

P.A. Semi also had working silicon (PWRficient). It still took 10 years for Apple to feel ready to ship it in the Mac.

Though I give credit that Intel shipped once on an iPhone, there were plenty of complaints. "Working" and "working well" are two different things for a cellular modem.

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Qualcomm isn't the only one shipping 5G modems, though again, you'll find plenty of complaints of inferior service.

MediaTek modems include 5G
Samsung modems include 5G

 

[SPUY767]

Just buy out the company you are competing with.

Apple isn't "competing" with Qualcomm. They don't want to sell modems to other smartphone makers, they just want to be in control of their supply chain and vertically integrated like they are now in the computer space with the M series chips. What surprises me is that they are having difficulty getting a chip ready. I think it probably has less to do with chip design and more to do with some overbroad patents that Qualcomm holds.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Apple should just give up the idea and do a long-term cross-licensing deal with Qualcomm instead. After all, Qualcomm is the platinum standard for cellular modems to start with.