Apple Plans to Replace Qualcomm Modems in iPhones by 2024

While we know Apple has been planning to phase out Qualcomm modems for its own modem on the iPhone, a new report from Bloomberg suggests it could happen as soon as 2024.

According to the report, Apple will complete the chipset’s development and start using in-house modem by late 2024 or early 2025. This move towards in-house modem chip technology has been a long time coming for Apple, as the company has been working on developing its own modem for several years.

Apple had aimed to introduce its own modem chips as early as 2023. However, as previously reported, Apple has encountered setbacks in the development of its custom chip. Due to this reason, the company will continue to use Qualcomm modem in this year’s iPhone 15 series. However, it will make the jump to in-house modem next year, i.e., 2024.

In addition to the move to its own in-house modem chips starting in 2024, Apple is also looking for ways to stop using wireless components from Broadcom. The company is developing its own WiFi and Bluetooth chip that would replace the components currently sourced from Broadcom.

Bloomberg reports that Apple is also working on a chip that will combine WiFi and Bluetooth functions into a single component. The report also claims that the company will develop a follow-up version of this chip that will incorporate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular modem technology in one chip. Broadcom also supplies Apple with radio-frequency chips and chips for wireless charging, both of which Apple is working on replacing.

While this move towards in-house chip development may not seem like a major change on the surface, it could have a significant impact on the efficiency of the iPhone. The use of in-house modem chips and wireless components allows Apple to have more control over the performance of these components, thus resulting in less power consumption and better overall performance.

Source: Bloomberg