Apple's Custom 5G Chip For The iPhone Will Not Be An All-In-One Connectivity Solution, As Company Works On Dedicated WiFi 7 Chip

Nov 01, 2024

Apple is working on its custom 5G modems to reduce reliance on Qualcomm, and it was previously noted that the chip would also feature built-in Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities. To be precise, the company was expected to build a chip catering to all device connectivity needs. Today, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared clarification on this approach and stated that the iPhone 17 will have a dedicated Apple-designed WiFi 7 chip and a different 5G chip.

It was previously reported by 9to5mac that Apple is working on a custom 5G chip that would also include WiFi as well as Bluetooth capabilities. Kuo claims that these are two different chips and will not be molded together into a single chip. The iPhone SE 4 will be the company's first device to feature Apple's custom 5G modem, but Broadcom will still supply the WiFi 7 chip.

In a new post, Kuo reports that next year would mark Apple's beginning of a new transition, which will allow it to move away from suppliers like Qualcomm and Broadcom.

"Starting from 2H25, both Apple's 5G and Wi-Fi chips will gradually be used in new products simultaneously"

"However, since these are two different chips (using different TSMC processes), the early switch-over timelines will differ due to separate production schedules. For example, the iPhone SE4 will move to an Apple 5G modem but still use a Broadcom Wi-Fi chip."

While the company would continue to use Broadcom's WiFi chips for next year's iPhone 17 lineup, the 5G chip is expected to be a custom one, which was reported to feature sub-par performance compared to Qualcomm's iteration. So far, we have heard that only the iPhone 17 Air will feature Apple's custom 5G modem, while the rest of the devices will still have to wait and rely on Qualcomm.

Possibly, the company wants to perfect the wireless technology before rolling it out on all the devices. We believe that the company will take a year or two to transition from Qualcomm. Other than the iPhone 17 Air, Apple is also believed to have switched the modem on the iPhone SE 4 to its custom option, with a different WiFi and 5G chip. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to launch in the first half of 2024, possibly alongside the new MacBook and iPad Air models in the Spring. We will keep you updated on the latest, so be sure to stick around.