Qualcomm expects Apple may use its own 5G modems in iPhones

SAN FRANCISCO: Chip maker Qualcomm CEO said that it is expecting that Apple may move into making in-house 5G modem chips for its 2024 iPhones, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona.

Although Apple's most recent iPhone 14 models use Qualcomm modems, the company has been attempting to go it solo in the wireless connectivity market for several years, reports CNBC.

"We're making no plans for 2024, my planning assumption is we're not providing (Apple) a modem in '24, but it's their decision to make," Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, was quoted as saying.

The report said that the tech giant bought Intel's modem business in 2019, and there had been speculation it would begin using in-house parts this year.

Amon said that Qualcomm had told investors back in 2021 that it did not expect to provide modems for the iPhone in 2023, but Apple then decided to continue for another year.

However, he did not confirm whether Apple would pay Qualcomm QTL licenses if it moves to its own modems, but said royalty was "independent from providing a chip", the report mentioned.

Meanwhile, Qualcomm has announced that its Snapdragon satellite technology is coming to most Android smartphones.

The company said that the "Snapdragon Satellite" will be used in the upcoming smartphones from Honor, Motorola, Nothing, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi.