Apple may be considering releasing a cellular model that can communicate with Mac and Apple Vision Pro using its own 5G modem chip
It has been reported that
Apple (AAPL) Modem Chips Pave Way for Slimmer iPhone, Cellular Macs and Headsets - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-06/apple-s-modem-chips-pave-way-for-slimmer-iphone-cellular-macs-and-headsets
Bloomberg: Apple 'investigating' bringing cellular to the Mac for the first time - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2024/12/06/apple-investigating-cellular-mac/
Apple is reportedly exploring cellular connectivity for Vision Pro, and that's a great thing - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2024/12/07/apple-vision-pro-5g-cellular-modems/
It has been reported that Apple may start using its own 5G modem chip in some iPhones as early as 2025. Apple's first in-house 5G modem chip is expected to be installed in the fourth-generation iPhone SE and iPhone 17 Air, which are rumored to be released in 2025, but its performance is likely to be inferior to the Qualcomm 5G modem chip installed in the iPhone 16 Pro.
Apple is developing its own 5G modem chip
The reason why Apple's first 5G modem chip is inferior in performance to Qualcomm's 5G modem chip is because it does not support mmWave (millimeter wave).
After that, Apple plans to equip the entire iPhone 18 series and high-end iPads with Apple-made 5G modem chips in 2026. This second-generation 5G modem chip will support mmWave and achieve download speeds of 6Gbit per second, 6-carrier aggregation when using Sub6, and 8-carrier aggregation when using mmWave. In addition, Apple's third-generation 5G modem chip, which will appear in 2027, will support satellite communications and is expected to exceed the performance of Qualcomm's 5G modem chip.
Bloomberg reported that as part of this initiative, Apple is considering adding a 'Wi-Fi + Cellular' model to the Mac for the first time, like the iPad (a model that can connect to the Internet using a cellular data plan in places where Wi-Fi is not available). According to the report, the Mac with cellular communication capabilities will not be released until 'after 2026.'
In addition, it has been reported that Apple is also considering a cellular model for the Apple Vision Pro. However, at the time of writing, it is unclear which generation of 5G modem chip will be installed in the Apple Vision Pro. Apple-related media 9to5Mac said, 'It should be noted that the Apple Vision Pro needs to be highly power efficient because the battery that powers the entire system is quite small. It is possible that Apple will install a low-end first-generation modem in the Apple Vision Pro, but time will tell which generation it will be installed in.'
Regarding why Apple Vision Pro needs mobile communication capabilities, 9to5Mac wrote, 'We believe that it makes a lot of sense for Apple Vision Pro to eventually have mobile communication capabilities. With the current Apple Vision Pro, we don't think users will walk around with the device on. However, in the future, if Apple Vision Pro becomes slimmer and lighter and has mobile communication capabilities, we may see more users using Apple Vision Pro in various places.'
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in Hardware, Posted by logu_ii