Apple held talks with Samsung Electronics and MediaTek along with existing vendor Intel to supply 5G modem chips for 2019 iPhones.
(Reuters) — Apple held talks with Samsung Electronics and MediaTek along with existing vendor Intel to supply 5G modem chips for 2019 iPhones, according to an Apple executive’s testimony at a trial between Qualcomm and the U. S. Federal Trade Commission on Friday.
Between 2011 and 2016, Apple relied on San Diego-based Qualcomm as the sole supplier of such chips, which help iPhones connect to wireless networks. Starting in 2016, Apple split the business between Intel and Qualcomm, but in 2018, Apple moved solely to Intel for its newest phones.
But Apple supply chain executive Tony Blevins testified on Friday that Apple has also considered MediaTek and Samsung, one of its largest rivals in the smart phone market, to supply the chips for the next generation of wireless networks known as 5G. Those networks are expected to start rolling out this year and provide faster data speeds than current 4G networks.
