It looks like Apple may be switching away from Qualcomm modems for its next-gen iPhones.
During Wednesday’s conference call to analysts, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said he is “assuming” a major Qualcomm customer will be giving modem orders to another company. While Mollenkopf didn’t mention Apple by name, Apple and Samsung are Qualcomm’s largest clients, and Samsung is already known to use multiple suppliers.
Apple could also be sourcing from multiple modem suppliers as well, which would help ensure production levels and eliminate potential bottlenecks. That strategy might also make optimization more difficult however, since two different modems could also perform differently when it comes to power consumption and connecting to cellular networks.
Another potential candidate for the modems is Intel and an October report suggested that the company was looking to get its 7360 LTE modem into the next-gen iPhone.
As always, stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Bloomberg