Apple to unveil rumored 5G modem specially designed in 2023 iPhone and the component will not be integrated into the A series device chip, reports Digital Times.
В financial report, previously published, sources referring to Digital Times, said 2022 will be the last year that Qualcomm will ship all modems in iPhone models. After that, the iPhone is expected to use Apple's own 5G baseband modem chips.
The 5G modem that Apple has developed for its 2023 "iPhone" models is said to be separate from its A-series chip, tentatively named "A17". This contrasts with the original Android devices, which wanted to have custom modems, which intended to integrate both the Cellular Processor (CP) and Application Processor (AP) directly into the device's system-on-a-chip (SoC).
TSMC, the Taiwanese company that currently supplies all of Apple's custom silicon SoCs, is believed to be gearing up to supply Apple with a custom-designed 5G baseband modem.
On Investor Day earlier this week, Qualcomm said it plans to ship only 20 percent of Apple's modem chips in 2023, suggesting that Apple will self-supply up to 80 percent of the 5G modem chips required for iPhones starting in 2023.
There is reason to believe that the remaining 20 percent supplied by Qualcomm will be in older or entry-level 2023 iPhones. On the other hand, the remaining 20 percent may also include devices made for regions where Apple's 5G modem is not supported.
Apple is believed to have kicked off work on its own modem chips internally with the aim of ditching Qualcomm by acquiring Intel's modem chip business in 2019.
The report is consistent with previous rumors that Apple's modem chip will be ready for launch in 2023.
