Apple is working on a custom cellular modem for its iPhones and Apple Watches as it looks to move away from Qualcomm, according to sources at Bloomberg.
The news follows Apple’s decision to transition from Intel-based chips to its own ARM-chips for its Mac range.
According to the Bloomberg report, Johny Srouji, Apple’s vice president of hardware technologies, has been meeting with employees to discuss the ongoing development of a custom cellular modem, which will be developed in-house and manufactured in Asia.
Sources heard Srouji say that “This year, we kicked off the development of our first internal cellular modem which will enable another key strategic transition.
“Long-term strategic investments like these are a critical part of enabling our products and making sure we have a rich pipeline of innovative technologies for our future.”
Apple acquired Intel’s modem business for $1 billion last year, allowing it to build upon its engineering team to develop a custom modem. Before working on the modem, they had been working on wireless chips, such as the H1 chip that’s used in AirPods, and the U1 chip.
By transitioning away from Qualcomm to a custom cellular chip, Apple will have more control over connectivity on its devices, and reduce costs as it won’t have to pay a licensing fee.
Are you excited to hear that Apple is working on its own modem? Do you think this will have a positive impact on performance? Let us know and check back for more news and rumors.
