iPhone models in 2023 to have custom 5G modems as Apple plans to ditch Qualcomm

The current generation of Apple iPhones feature a Qualcomm 5G modem under the hood.

Apple iPhone models launching in 2023 will have an in-house 5G modem. The update comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has revealed several accurate Apple iPhone leaks in the past.

Kuo claims that Apple is currently developing custom 5G modem chips that will be ready for debut along with the 2023 iPhone models.

The company is currently relying on Qualcomm for its 5G modems. The current generation Apple iPhone 12 (review) and other iPhone models also feature a Qualcomm 5G modem under the hood.

Kuo claims that the custom 5G chip developed by Apple will result in faster speeds and improved latency, among other benefits.

The switch will also force Qualcomm to enter new markets to compensate for the loss of orders from Apple, a MacRumors report suggests. “As Android sales in the high-end 5G phone market are sluggish, Qualcomm will be forced to compete for more orders in the low-end market to compensate for Apple's order loss. When the supply constraints improve, MediaTek and Qualcomm will have less bargaining power over brands, resulting in significantly higher competitive pressure in the mid to low-end market,” the report added.

In March, a Barclays analyst report had made a similar claim. Bloomberg had also claimed that Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, informed employees about the company’s plans to develop its ‘first internal cellular modem’. He said Intel Corp’s modem business, which Apple acquired in 2019 for $1 billion, helped it build a team of hardware and software engineers to develop its own cellular modem, which enables phone calls and connection to the internet via cellular networks in a smartphone.