Apple might stop using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 5G modem chip on new iPhone models starting in 2027.
It has been a long road for Apple in its attempt to createthe tech giant’s own in-house 5G modem chips for the iPhone. Along the way, it asked Intel to produce a 5G modem chip for smartphones, faced off against Qualcomm in court several times, settled with Qualcomm during opening arguments in a lawsuit against Qualcomm, and bought Intel’s 5G modem unit for $1 billion. Then, while it was working to develop its own in-house 5G modem chips, Apple had some setbacks both performance-wise and patent-wise.
Things were going so poorly for Apple that at one time, during the course of developing its in-house 5G modem chip, the component reportedly took up half the internal space of an iPhone! Obviously this was not going to work and Apple was forced to sign a deal with Qualcomm that keeps them receiving Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 5G modem chips through 2026.
