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Kuo: Apple's 5G Modem to Rapidly Roll Out in iPhones Starting Next Year

Iconoclysm said:
Yes, it includes all of that. The benefit is that it can be integrated into the primary SoC, using less power and taking up less space...and not paying licensing fees to Qualcomm.
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Power isn't a concern because the link isn't high speed. Evidence from QC shows there's no power savings from a discrete vs. integrated design.

Apple probably doesn't want an integrated design either. There's no point in wasting expensive transistors when the A-series is used in everything from $349 iPad to $129 Apple TV.
 
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Less urgency for me to upgrade to a 16 Pro/Pro Max this year if only the ultra-thin iPhone 17 won't have a Qualcomm modem next fall. Good stuff.
 
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flofixer said:
You already know Apple's modem won't perform as well as Qualcomm's. Remember how inferior the Intel modems that were in some of the iPhones?
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Apple is not trying to outperform Qualcomm, they just want to have better modem integration with there iOS software, better optimized performance and better battery life for 5G
 
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cdsapplefan said:
Apple is not trying to outperform Qualcomm, they just want to have better modem integration with there iOS software, better optimized performance and better battery life for 5G
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What the heck is "better modem integration" with iOS?
 
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CrysisDeu said:
Isn’t 6g pretty close though
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The preliminary standards work has been underway for about four years. But I wouldn't expect commercial networks and devices until late this decade, based on what I'm hearing at mobile industry conferences. The network vendors are champing at the bit, but the operators are really pushing back because they're still struggling to monetize 5G and pay off that generation's infrastructure and spectrum.

5G was built for IoT, but those hoped-for lucrative use cases have not materialized. The vast majority of IoT applications simply don't need gigabit speeds or capabilities such as URLLC. Hence the push to use 5G as an alternative to copper and fiber for residential broadband.
 
antiprotest said:
My guess is that this will only give Apple greater profit margins in the long run. The savings will not be passed to customers. Not saying it's right or wrong. It's just how business works. Apple is doing this for themselves, not for us. But I do hope there will be some efficiency improvements, less heat, better battery life. At this point I will assume no, though.
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The in-house modems will have a lot to live up to. Qualcomm's modems have long been regarded as the best in the industry hence why Apple and Samsung and many others continue to use them. Even Samsung's latest 5400 series modem in the new Pixel 9 phone range has gotten pretty good but still not on par with Qualcomm found in the SD 8 Gen 3 which will be upgraded in the SD 8 Gen 4 next month.
 
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antiprotest said:
My guess is that this will only give Apple greater profit margins in the long run. The savings will not be passed to customers. Not saying it's right or wrong. It's just how business works. Apple is doing this for themselves, not for us. But I do hope there will be some efficiency improvements, less heat, better battery life. At this point I will assume no, though.
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I was about to write 'This should result in lower iPhone prices, right? RIGHT?' 🤣
 
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CrysisDeu said:
Isn’t 6g pretty close though
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Wouldn't think so:

"4G technology accounted for 60 percent of all mobile connections in 2022, up from 58 percent the previous year, while 5G technology accounted for a 12 percent share. By 2030, continued 5G adoption is expected to see the next generation technology make up over half of connections worldwide."

- Statista
 
flofixer said:
You already know Apple's modem won't perform as well as Qualcomm's. Remember how inferior the Intel modems that were in some of the iPhones?
Click to expand...

Actually we don't know that already. iPhones with Apple's modem aren't out yet. Maybe they'll pull an equivalent to what they did with M-series processors compared to Intel's.
 
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I have strong doubts that there will not be degradation as compared to the current Qualcomm modems. I think it’s fairly apparent that Apple feels this way also. If Apple thought this was going to be a superior product, you would see it in the pro iPhones first. Making it a major feature of their flagship phone. Instead Apple is debuting it in an SE.
 
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I will be very curious to see the performance of these. If it is equal to Qualcomm modems that would be great, I just fear it won't be and will be like the Intel modems Apple was using several years ago.
 
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Chuckeee said:
I have strong doubts that there will not be degradation as compared to the current Qualcomm modems. I think it’s fairly apparent that Apple feels this way also. If Apple thought this was going to be a superior product, you would see it in the pro iPhones first. Making it a major feature of their flagship phone. Instead Apple is debuting it in an SE.
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This is what I fear.
 
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