Apple may adopt its own Wi-Fi chips from the iPhone 17, and may also transition to its own 5G modems at the same time
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International who is well-known for his highly accurate leaks of Apple-related information, has revealed that Apple plans to adopt its own Wi-Fi chip in the iPhone 17 series to be released in 2025.
The iPhone 17 might use Apple's own Wi-Fi chips - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/31/24284959/iphone-17-wifi-bluetooth-chip-broadcom
According to Kuo, at the time of writing, Apple procures more than 300 million Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips per year from semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom . However, Apple plans to reduce its reliance on Broadcom, so Kuo predicts that new products scheduled to appear in the second half of 2025 (including the iPhone 17 series) will transition to its own Wi-Fi chips that support the latest Wi-Fi 7 manufactured by semiconductor contract manufacturer TSMC 's N7 process. If this happens, it will strengthen the advantages of cost reduction and Apple ecosystem integration.
Broadcom currently supplies over 300 million Wi-Fi+BT chips (hereafter referred to as Wi-Fi chips) per year to Apple. However, Apple will rapidly reduce its reliance on Broadcom. With new products in 2H25 (eg, iPhone 17), Apple plans to use its own Wi-Fi chips, which will be…
— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) October 31, 2024
Kuo speculates that 'Apple plans to gradually introduce its own 5G and Wi-Fi chips into new products starting in the second half of 2025,' but these chips are manufactured using different TSMC processes and have separate production schedules. Therefore, the 4th generation iPhone SE will have Apple's own 5G modem, but the Wi-Fi chip will be made by 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,…
— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) October 31, 2024
Apple acquired Intel's smartphone modem chip business in 2019 and has continued to design its own modem chips since then.
Apple announces acquisition of Intel's smartphone modem chip business - GIGAZINE
Initially, it was expected that the iPhone 15 would be the first iPhone equipped with its own modem, but in the end, the latest model at the time of writing, the iPhone 16 series, does not have an Apple modem chip. Due to delays in the development of its own 5G modem chip, Apple extended its 5G modem chip supply contract with Qualcomm until 2026 in September 2023.
Apple extends contract with Qualcomm to 2026 due to delays in development of its own 5G modem chips, what's going on? - GIGAZINE
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