iPhone 16 could be one of the last to feature Qualcomm chips — Apple to ditch modems for in-house alternative starting next year
A new report claims that Apple is planning to ditch Qualcomm’s 5G modems in favor of its own in-house offering starting with the iPhone SE 4.
It has long been rumored that Apple is planning to create its own 5G modems to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm, acquiring Intel’s modem arm to the tune of $1 billion in 2019.
However, the effort has reportedly stalled frequently, with Apple running into plenty of problems trying to develop its own 5G chip. We’ve heard rumors about in-house modems coming to the iPhone for years, and now finally we might have our best info yet.
iPhone 17 to herald end of Qualcomm partnership
A new report from top insider and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple ” is accelerating its move away from reliance on Qualcomm. In 2025.” Specifically, he says two new iPhones will ditch Qualcomm next year, the iPhone SE 4 and Apple’s rumored “slim” iPhone 17.
That means three iPhone 17 models might still hang onto Qualcomm’s modems, but could be the biggest sign yet of a significant change in the way Apple builds its iPhones.
Apple has signed with Qualcomm for modems through 2026, but it doesn’t seem to preclude a gradual phasing out of Qualcomm’s tech each year. If this new report is accurate we could see Apple-built 5G modems in iPhones as early as Spring 2025. Whether or not those changes have any impact on 5G performance and browsing, or whether Apple even mentions the switch, remains to be seen.
In the meantime, Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone 16 in September which will definitely feature Qualcomm’s 5G tech. Specifically, the iPhone 16 Pro could get Snapdragon’s X75 modem replete with AI features and performance boost modes.
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