Qualcomm Now Relies on Android as Apple Modems Roll Out

[MacRumors]

Qualcomm is gradually reducing its dependence on Apple, as growing demand for premium Android smartphones becomes the main driver of its chip business, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

Qualcomm's semiconductor arm, known as Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT), apparently recorded strong year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, led by rising Android device sales and increasing chip content per device. DigiTimes cited remarks from President and CEO Cristiano Amon, who said that non-Apple QCT revenue rose by 18% during the quarter.

The global smartphone market is said to be undergoing a structural transition toward more advanced, feature-rich devices, with users in both mature and emerging markets upgrading to higher-end models. This shift has driven up average selling prices and boosted demand for Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon processors, which now feature enhanced AI, camera, and connectivity capabilities. Qualcomm's strategy of embedding more value into devices is now apparently central to its long-term growth, reducing its reliance on Apple orders over time.

The company's deepening partnership with Samsung was also a key factor. Amon said Qualcomm currently provides modems for about 75% of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, a significant rise from approximately half in earlier years. Some Galaxy models, such as the Galaxy S25 series, use Snapdragon modems exclusively.

The update comes as Apple is expected to move away from Qualcomm's modem chips over the coming years. Apple has been developing its own in-house 5G modem technology since acquiring Intel's smartphone modem division in 2019. The iPhone 16e, iPhone Air, and iPad Pro now contain Apple's C1-series custom modems rather than Qualcomm chips. Qualcomm previously announced that it would continue to supply Apple with Snapdragon modems through 2026, but the relationship is widely expected to diminish after that point as Apple's own modems proliferate through its device lineup.

Article Link: Qualcomm Now Relies on Android as Apple Modems Roll Out

 

[anakin44011]

That's it...they are cooked. They should go back to making cutting-edge software like Eudora.

Does anyone remember the 90s?

 

[Michael Scrip]

Qualcomm Now Relies on Android

With 1.5 billion Android devices sold every year... I think Qualcomm will be fine.

 

[turbineseaplane]

That's it...they are cooked. They should go back to making cutting-edge software like Eudora.

Does anyone remember the 90s?

I do.
And believe me, not a week goes by that I don't wish we could go back and tweak some key things and try again from that starting point.

 

[MayaUser]

After Intel...now qualcomm

 

[Ursadorable]

Qualcomm has been dead to me since they dumped Eudora. I have a long memory, and don't forgive easily.

 

[smeagol]

Apple's high volume sellers are still on Qualcomm so they're not quite feeling the pinch yet. Winter is coming though.

 

[ELman]

Sounds like Android devices will have no issue connecting to cellular providers.

 

[k1121j]

While non Apple revenue grew. I can wait to see how much there total revenue shrinks.

 

[CWallace]

With 1.5 billion Android devices sold every year... I think Qualcomm will be fine.

They will be fine, overall, but Apple was buying the significant majority of their top-tier modems. So Qualcomm is going to see real declines in total revenues and profits once Apple fully moves over to their own modems and those sales are not going to be replaced by Android.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

With 1.5 billion Android devices sold every year... I think Qualcomm will be fine.

About 45% of Android phones worldwide use MediaTek modems and processors, and Pixel uses Google's Tensor chipsets, so that cut that number in half. Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and Huawei also make their own modems/processors, and license them out to other companies.

That said, Qualcomm will be fine.

 

[Michael Scrip]

They will be fine, overall, but Apple was buying the significant majority of their top-tier modems. So Qualcomm is going to see real declines in total revenues and profits once Apple fully moves over to their own modems and those sales are not replaced by Android (where over 1 billion of those phones are not using that class of modems).

About 45% of Android phones worldwide use MediaTek modems and processors, and Pixel uses Google's Tensor chipsets, so that cut that number in half.

That said, Qualcomm will be fine.

So Qualcomm will be fine... which is what I said...

😎

 

[SactoGuy18]

I have this feeling that in the end, Qualcomm and Apple will end up with a major cross-licensing agreement on technologies. Qualcomm wants Apple's high-efficiency technology for radio modem chips, and Apple could get access to Qualcomm's AptX and AptX HD codecs on the successors to the N1 I/O chip.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

They will be fine, overall, but Apple was buying the significant majority of their top-tier modems. So Qualcomm is going to see real declines in total revenues and profits once Apple fully moves over to their own modems and those sales are not going to be replaced by Android.

That’s the key. They’re effectively losing marketshare in the market. And seeing as how MediaTek was able to ship more than Qualcomm in 2024 while Qualcomm still had Apple as a customer, MediaTek is set for a market and mindshare increase. Qualcomm will still “exist”, I wouldn’t go out on a limb and say they’ll be “fine”. They WILL have to make some changes.

 

[ghostface147]

They still make the best modems and it'll be awhile until Apple gets close to their reliability.

 

[apparatchik]

With 1.5 billion Android devices sold every year... I think Qualcomm will be fine.

But the majority don't sport Qualcomm processors, they're mid-range or low-end phones with Mediatek chips on them. The most lucrative high-end market (and about 90% of profits) are dominated by Apple. Qualcomm will survive but it's not nothing.

 

[ZipZilla]

Qualcomm charges extortionate prices for their modem and tech and are pricing themselves out of the market. After seeing Apple can do it, everyone is making their own processors and soon their own modems

 

[Lodovik]

Double dipping times are almost over for Qualcomm. I’m sure they’ll find another racket somewhere.

 

[citysnaps]

They still make the best modems and it'll be awhile until Apple gets close to their reliability.

Do you have technical data from credible sources that support your assertion?

 

[Hank001]

That's it...they are cooked. They should go back to making cutting-edge software like Eudora.

Does anyone remember the 90s?

They didn't create Eudora; they bought it.

Eudora was my all-time favourite email client. Even on Windows.

 

[justanotherdave]

With 1.5 billion Android devices sold every year... I think Qualcomm will be fine.

Most of those devices are low-end and not using Qualcomm modems. No way someone can sell a $100 Android phone with a Qualcomm modem in it.

This also brings up another interesting point. Android vendors sell so many phones that the average life expectancy of them is short. There aren’t enough cell phone users on the planet to sustain those sales, so a large part of them are replacement devices for ones that stopped working/got damaged or lost.

A huge environmental problem that nobody talks about. Oh but the EU thinks chargers are an issue. 🤷‍♂️

 

[justanotherdave]

Do you have technical data from credible sources that support your assertion?

There is none.

Repost:

I know an Apple engineer who works strictly on cellular/RF (FYI, I’ve never been able to pry anything out of him). Except once.

When that cellular insights blog appeared years ago bashing the Intel/iPhone modem I asked him about it. His response:

“How does someone at a no-name blog get hold of half a million dollars in sophisticated cellular test equipment and then proceed to do a few specific tests out of the hundreds available to conclude one modem is better than another?”

He seemed convinced it was a Qualcomm engineer posing as some independent researcher.

 

[falkon-engine]

So I have a question no one seems to be talking about. If Apple is reducing dependence on Qualcomm for its modems, and the new iPad Pro has the Apple c1x modem in it, why does the 5G iPad Pro version still cost so much more than the WiFi only version ?

Shouldn’t 5G simply come standard on all iPad Pros ? What’s the cost differential of c1x vs Qualcomm’s modem ?

 

[citysnaps]

There is none.

Repost:

I know an Apple engineer who works strictly on cellular/RF (FYI, I’ve never been able to pry anything out of him). Except once.

When that cellular insights blog appeared years ago bashing the Intel/iPhone modem I asked him about it. His response:

“How does someone at a no-name blog get hold of half a million dollars in sophisticated cellular test equipment and then proceed to do a few specific tests out of the hundreds available to conclude one modem is better than another?”

He seemed convinced it was a Qualcomm engineer posing as some independent researcher.

Thanx. In the past, having worked in that field, that was my suspicion.

 

[SactoGuy18]

So I have a question no one seems to be talking about. If Apple is reducing dependence on Qualcomm for its modems, and the new iPad Pro has the Apple c1x modem in it, why does the 5G iPad Pro version still cost so much more than the WiFi only version ?

Shouldn’t 5G simply come standard on all iPad Pros ? What’s the cost differential of c1x vs Qualcomm’s modem ?

Reason: because the cellular version of the iPad Pro transmits in the cellphone frequencies, there is much more RF certification needed than an iPad that only works on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth frequencies.