A new agreement with Qualcomm suggests that Apple continues to struggle to produce its own 5G modem for iPhones.
Today, Qualcomm announced that it has agreed to supply Apple with Snapdrgaon 5G modems for all iPhones launching in 2024, 2025, and 2026. Back in November last year, Qualcomm confirmed it was going to provide the vast majority of 5G modem chips for the 2023 iPhone models, and that now looks set to continue for another three years of iPhone releases.
Apple's desire to develop its own 5G modem became public knowledge back in 2019 when it acquired Intel's 5G modem business. Development began in earnest in 2020, but we have yet to see any signs of success despite Apple having access to Intel's intellectual property, equipment, and 2,200 former Intel employees.
We should therefore expect to see a Qualcomm modem inside the iPhone 15 when it's revealed at Apple's event tomorrow. Apple is, however, likely to focus on other features of the new iPhone during its presentation. We're expecting a USB-C port, faster fast charging, up to 2TB of storage, potentially smaller screen bezels, and Dynamic Island being used for the non-Pro models. All will be revealed tomorrow.