Apple To Replace iPhone Modem With All-In-One, In-House Chips

In 2020, Apple made headlines when it ditched its 15-year-long partnership with Intel to build its own MacBook chips. Over two years later, it seems the company’s gamble has paid off, with CEO Tim Cook attributing 70.1% growth in revenue for Q2 2021 to its M1 chip alone.

Now, a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed that the technology giant is looking to manufacture its own chips for its line of smartphones, aiming to replace the Qualcomm 5G modem chips it currently uses with an in-house component. 

As it stands, it appears Apple could launch its modem chip in late 2024 or early 2025, while an additional key Broadcom component could be released in approximately two years’ time. The latter will take over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth services on the firm’s devices. 

In addition, sources familiar with the matter told Gurman the company has set its sights on creating a follow-up component that would combine Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modem capabilities all into a single chip.

This isn’t the first time Apple has planned to introduce its own modem chips. As per analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the firm was initially trying to introduce its own component as early as 2023, but decided to continue its reliance on Qualcomm as the development efforts “failed.”

Nonetheless, if the company does succeed this time round, users could be seeing significant changes to the 2025 iPhone lineup, especially in the area of wireless connectivity. What will Apple’s in-house chips bring to the table? Stay tuned.

[via MobileSyrup and MacRumors, cover image via Charnsitr | Dreamstime.com]