I couldn’t agree with you more, and that’s why if Apple used their modem in the 17PM, that’s one upgrade I’m holding out for until I know for sure that I will not have any problems with the modem.
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Kuo: Apple-Designed 5G Modem for iPhones to Debut in 2025
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will it dramatically boost margins? $1B to jump into business. If burn $250-350M for 5 years that is another 1.3-.1.8B in the hole there too. Have 'borrowed' over $2B before make any money. ( haven't really covered slicion fab development ramp costs either. ) . Apple has a relatively small modem unit/yr sales rate to pay to get up with what Qualcomm (and others) distribute over far more units. )
Also decent chance it isn't so much about better battery life as much as Apple getting to decide solely for itself the 'better for apple' die packaging used to get to better battery life.
how many iterations (or prototypes) do you think they have designed/taped out? I bet you quite a few ...
Its nice that this will not be the 16 PM I am waiting for yeah I can start my skip every other year @StaceyMJ86 and let others be a beta tester for an apple 5G modem
Its a good thing I am upgrading next year, don't want to guinea pig this.
Me as well. As long as it’s not in the 16 series, I’ll be upgrading. I’ll even upgrade to the 17PM as long as it don’t have Apple’s 5G modem. I’ll be happy with Apple’s last Qualcomm modem before they start using their own.
Qualcomm should be concerned if Apple can get its own modems into production phones. QC is already gouging Apple by pricing chips based on the final price of the phone. As phone prices go up, so does the cost of the QC chips.
If Apple can execute (and that’s a big ‘if’), QC’s only options are cost negotiation or a torrent of patent lawsuits. It’s estimated that QC is making $10b/year from Apple (~20% of annual revenue). QC’s shareholders will not allow Apple to walk away from the table.
If Apple can execute (and that’s a big ‘if’), QC’s only options are cost negotiation or a torrent of patent lawsuits. It’s estimated that QC is making $10b/year from Apple (~20% of annual revenue). QC’s shareholders will not allow Apple to walk away from the table.
It's so sad that the SE 4 keeps getting pushed back for this. The SE is in dire need of an update to be worth its price.
The fact that it looks like it is going to take over 5 years to get these modems out the door is extremely suggestive that this is not 'refreshed' Intel modems. It is taking a very long time because Apple possibly tossed the whole infrastructure out the windows and basically started over. That doesn't necessary get them something way better. But it extremely likely does not get you something that is mostly the same.
It is a dual edged sword to start over from scratch. They are somewhat disconnected from customers. Probably not validating on every quirky country standard variant possible. etc. They have a highly moving target of Qualcomm performance to match. The upsides though is if there was any Infineon or Intel 'dogma' that was holding them back.. that could get 'garbage collected'. And sometimes being decoupled from customer minutiae ( funky country standard 42 ) is a way to lower the distractions and get more core updates done. [ e.g., If Apple waits longer than really old school GSM is dead along with what was called "CDMA network" (but not CDMA. ). Apple dumps 'really old' stuff on a regular basis. ]
Apple tossing them into iPads or iPhoneSE or something like those could get them field time at scale, but not the largest possible scale.
But if Apple spends proper money it could be solid on day one shipped in those. They have got stuff like cars/people doing Apple Maps photography/road mapping. It wouldn't be hard to put some modems onto those high mileage trips picking off of cell towers in wide disperate regions that are various distances and angles and obstructions while recording how they do. And before that paying attention to testing with cell tower infrastructure hardware developers directly.
That Apple isn't on some 'fixed in stone' deadline to ship the modem is a decently good sign.
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This and their MicroLED screens are both always 2 years away..
Normally first introduction is in a less mobile (and lower shipment quantity) but still portable device such as MacBook or iPad Pro.
if the modems deployed in cars goes up 10M and the iPhone goes down 10M that is pretty much as wash. ( yes, Apple sells more than 10M iPhones , but missing the forest for the tree in that example is hung up on that. )
Qualcomm has an issue of finding other places to stuff cellular modems into, but they have had a multiple year 'heads up' to get solutions to that wider customer base problem sorted out. It really isn't a good business practice to be dependent upon just one customer/supplier for everything.
Qualcomm has already 'warned' on this issue years ago in their quarterly outlook. Every time Apple kicks the can into the next year it just gives Qualcomm more time to make the adjustment.
[ If Qualcomm manages to get their Oryon (Snapdragon 8 cx Gen 4) out of legal problems and deployed on a decent number of Windows PCs , I doubt Apple dropping off is going to make much of a difference. ]
Chuckle like Apple is charging fair-market-value for SSD capacity. Apple is like the pot calling the kettle black.
Not the only option at all. Just have to have customers ... not just a specific customer.
The overall smartphone market starting to sputter is a bigger problem for QC than just what Apple is doing.
QC's shareholders should be wondering WTF about the $1+ B tossed at Nuvia for an incomplete chip implementation that is more than eyeball deep in legal problems more so than what Apple is doing.
Lower their own costs and keep raising the prices
Tim knows how to squeeze lemons
Tim knows how to squeeze lemons
I don't think it is any coincidence that the Apple modem date is 2025 as this is when the new Globalstar satellites launch. Globalstar's Band n53 is already 5G approved worldwide through 3GPP standards.
No thank you, I will stick with Qualcomm as long as I can. I owned an overpriced iPhone Xs for 3 years. I had the worst reception/connectivity of any iPhone I ever owned, even when using as a phone. I traded it in for an iPhone 13 Mini in 2021, and the connectivity is worlds better, even in LTE areas where 5G is not available. My wife has an iPhone 11, and it is as bad as my old iPhone XS.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
I suspect this is entirely about more profit per unit sold by not having to pay Qualcomm. 💰💰💰
But I'll hope right with you.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
To fully pass the test, you also have to get paid for your analysis. They get paid.
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There is a reasonable chance that you are right! But then again, it wouldn't be the first time Apple has surprised when it comes to chip design...
Ah, still no. There were MANY complaints about the poor reception quality of iPhones with the Intel modem chipsets, the IP now owned by Apple. Apple should just sign a cross-licensing agreement with Qualcomm and save a lot of headaches. After all, one of the biggest improvements on the iPhone was the switch back to the Qualcomm modem chip, one that eliminated a lot of signal reception issues.
I had a XS Max before I upgraded mine to the 12PM, and the cellular connectivity was worlds better than the XS Max. I went to the 14PM which was better for me than the 12PM. My daughter had an 11 for 3 years before I upgraded her to the 14, which has been so much better for cellular connectivity for her.
That would be a great option to have. I'm not sure why laptops don't have these modems as well. I suppose they're less needed, but it's a great option to have.
Came here to say this. All this article tells me is that the 2024 iPhone will be the one to buy.