Chip-maker Qualcomm has announced that it has signed a new 3-year agreement with Apple to supply 5G modems for iPhones.
In a press release on September 11, 2023, Qualcomm Technologies announced that it has entered into an agreement with Apple Inc. to supply Snapdragon 5G Modem‑RF Systems for smartphone launches in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Also read: Qualcomm announces commercial shipment of its Qualcomm Centriq 2400 processors
“This agreement reinforces Qualcomm’s track record of sustained leadership across 5G technologies and products,” the chip-maker said.
Also read: iPhone 15 launch: When and where to watch Apple Wonderlust event in India
According to a report by CNBC, Wall Street analysts and Qualcomm officials had previously said that they expected Apple to use an internally developed 5G modem starting next year.
The report further mentioned that Qualcomm currently provides Apple with 5G modems for iPhones, but Apple has been working to make its own modems in order to switch from Qualcomm-made chips. In 2019, Apple purchased Intel’s smartphone modem division to develop its own modem. However, according to analysts, it will likely be difficult for the iPhone-maker to simply switch from Qualcomm’s chips due to their complexity.
Qualcomm expects to only provide 20% of the modems required for Apple's 2026 smartphone launch, indicating that it still believes that Apple business will eventually decline. Also, a Qualcomm official said that the company was not updating its guidance to take into account the Apple sales, as per the report.
Meanwhile, Apple is all set to host its Wonderlust event tonight (September 12, 2023) at 10:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST). The tech giant is preparing to make some major announcements at this event. Speculation and leaks have been circulating about the upcoming iPhone models. In addition to the anticipated iPhone 15 lineup, Apple is also expected to introduce the successor of the Watch Series 8, along with several other products. You can watch the live stream of this event on Apple’s official website or YouTube channel at 10:30 pm. You will also be able to watch the event using your Apple TV app.