Apple keeps tight control over the supply chain and it’s no secret. The Cupertino-based giant sources 5G modems from one of the industry leaders Qualcomm and the latest agreement ends in 2026. However, it is also well-known that Apple has been developing custom-made in-house 5G modems to power its fleet of iPhones and other devices. However, the latest updates from trusted sources hint at possible abandonment of the project.
According to a yuex1122 on South Korean blog Naver, Apple is reportedly planning to discontinue the development of 5G modems as per supply chain sources. It further added that Apple has likely failed to integrate 5G modems in the upcoming iPhone SE4 that would act as a testing ground before unleashing across the future iPhones.
The Cupertino giant purchased Intel’s model business in 2019 for a whopping $1Bn. the project started taking shape in 2023 with 2024 being the year it could become a reality in the upcoming iPhone SE4. However, earlier this month, we received an update stating that the launch has been pushed back to late 2025 or early 2026 citing complexities and difficulties in developing modems. It is also because Qualcomm owns many of the patents and is years ahead in terms of research and development.
Both Apple and Qualcomm have been at legal loggerheads regarding the patents since 2017 suing Qualcomm for unjustified collection of royalties on modem chips. Both companies are now under an agreement that was extended till 2026 where iPhones get to use Qualcomm’s 5G modems for years to come.
Coming back to Apple’s 5G modems, the tech juggernaut seemingly failed to develop the modem. It is reportedly streamlining both the investments it had made in the modem business and the workforce hired. the code behind modems is likely one of the major reasons why Apple has been lagging behind Qualcomm to a magnitude of a few years which is a lot in terms of modems and chipsets.
Note that we are yet to get an official confirmation from Apple regarding this development so it is better to take it with a pinch of salt.
