Apple has apparently extended its agreement with Qualcomm for modems. The renewed deal will have the latter continue to supply the former for another three years. This news is in contrast to our previous report that the brand will be shifting to its own 5G modems soon.
Apple 5G Modem Delayed
For those unaware, known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had previously revealed that the Cupertino based giant is planning on shifting to its self developed 5G modems by 2025. However, the latest report from Bloomberg reveals that the proprietary modem isn’t ready for iPhones yet. Apple had acquired Intel’s modem unit in the past and has been working on its own 5G modem to move away from Qualcomm’s hardware.
The analyst added that the iPhone SE 4th Gen will be the first to feature the new modem, with its launch expected in the first quarter of 2025. But now, it seems like Apple will still be with Qualcomm till 2026 and rely on its modem. Since the iPhone 12, Qualcomm has been the sole supplier of Apple’s 5G modems. Apple is currently the chipmaking giant’s largest client, accounting for 22.3 percent of the orders.
In recent years, the iPhone maker has been working on becoming more self reliant. It is developing technology and components, which would have it reduce its dependency on third-party suppliers. At the moment, Qualcomm basically holds a monopoly for 5G modems, offering the most advanced modems for mobile devices. Top smartphone brands like Samsung also employ its modems for wireless networking.
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