Qualcomm CEO Says He's Expecting Apple To Use Its Own Modems in iPhones in 2024 (cnbc.com) 6
Apple is moving to in-house 5G modem chips for its 2024 iPhones, as far as the chief executive of Qualcomm -- which currently produces them for the tech giant -- is aware. From a report: "We're making no plans for 2024, my planning assumption is we're not providing [Apple] a modem in '24, but it's their decision to make," Cristiano Amon told CNBC at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Apple's most recent iPhone 14 models use Qualcomm modems, but the company has been looking to go solo in the wireless connectivity market for some years.
It bought Intel's modem business in 2019 and there had been speculation it would begin using in-house parts this year. In an interview with CNBC's Karen Tso and Arjun Kharpal, Amon said Qualcomm had told investors back in 2021 that it did not expect to provide modems for the iPhone in 2023, but Apple then decided to continue for another year. Amon did not confirm whether Apple would pay Qualcomm QTL licenses if it moves to its own modems, but said royalty was "independent from providing a chip."
It bought Intel's modem business in 2019 and there had been speculation it would begin using in-house parts this year. In an interview with CNBC's Karen Tso and Arjun Kharpal, Amon said Qualcomm had told investors back in 2021 that it did not expect to provide modems for the iPhone in 2023, but Apple then decided to continue for another year. Amon did not confirm whether Apple would pay Qualcomm QTL licenses if it moves to its own modems, but said royalty was "independent from providing a chip."
Not Surprising (Score:2)
How hard are modems to design? (Score:3)
The real question is how high the barriers to designing a top-level modem are. Apple bought Qualcomm modems for their latest iPhones because the Apple ones still weren't good enough. The assumption might be that it's just a matter of time before Apple catches up to Qualcomm for modems, just like they did for processors. Was Apple really close to closing the gap, so that one year would make a difference? Or does Apple need more time than that?
Is this a matter of patent encumbrance? Or is this a matter of
Re: (Score:2)
It's one thing to design your own modem. It's also another thing to ask a manufacturer to fab the modem. Then it's quite another if you want to integrate components onto the same die. Every one of these seemingly small differences create huge hurdles in terms of getting an actual wafer made, not to mention if you're also working with new process nodes.
At the same time, does Apple want to get into the business of making radios and modems? What else do they want to vertically integrate? Their own foundries to
Re: (Score:2)
At the same time, does Apple want to get into the business of making radios and modems
Based on history they will only make them for themselves. They will not sell them to anyone else.
Their own foundries to manufacture their own metals and materials?
Not when foundries at the the leading edge are fewer and fewer with fabs costing more and more. Five years ago, Intel was the leading edge. These days they are third at best.
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now take what I am about to say with some eyebrow rise as I havent designed a cel modem since the 2G days, but its rather easy due to standards, I mean every detail you need is provided in a phat pamphlet... a sharp hobbiest could make one at home
BUT making it small enough, power efficient enough etc while hitting all the checkmarks from various agencies and not have it cost a fukton of money is a different story. Then after that if stuff happens hey your on the hook!
That's why most companies buy a module
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