According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple intends to begin replacing the Qualcomm modem chips used in iPhones as early as 2024. Apple has been developing in-house modem chip technology for several years in order to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm.
The development of modem chips has been slowed, and Apple will use a slow rollout to wean itself off Qualcomm. Apple intends to phase out Broadcom wireless components in 2025, in addition to transitioning to its own in-house chips in 2024. Apple is developing a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip to replace the components it currently obtains from Broadcom.
While separate components to replace Qualcomm and Broadcom hardware are currently in development, Bloomberg reports that Apple is also working on a chip that will combine the cellular modem, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth functions into a single component. Apple creates its own A-series chips for the iPhone and M-series chips for the Mac, and replacing modem chips and wireless components has been a top priority for the company since its Qualcomm dispute.
Apple wanted to move away from Qualcomm with the shift to 5G in order to avoid paying Qualcomm’s fees and instead use Intel technology, but Intel was unable to produce 5G chips that met Apple’s standards.
