Apple Could Source Future iPhone Modems From MediaTek

At the moment Apple sources their iPhone modems from both Intel and Qualcomm. However given that Apple and Qualcomm are butting heads legally, it was previously reported that Intel could soon be the exclusive supplier to Apple for iPhone modems. However according to Northland analyst Gus Richard, that might not necessarily be the case.

According to a report from Bloomberg, it has been suggested that in the future Apple could source their modems not from Qualcomm or Intel, but from MediaTek. MediaTek has been making its own chipsets for a while now and has been supplying them to various smartphone OEMs, but if Richard’s assessment is correct, this could be great news from MediaTek who would no doubt be able to benefit from having a customer as large as Apple.

However with Apple producing millions upon millions of handsets a year, it is unclear if MediaTek will be up to the task. It is possible that Apple could source from both Intel and MediaTek at the same time, with Intel maybe taking the bulk at the start. At the same time it should be pointed out that Apple was previously reported to be interested in developing its own 5G modems to reduce reliance on third-party companies completely.

Whether or not this will be happening anytime soon remains to be seen, so until then maybe take it with a grain of salt for now.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones, Rumors
Tags: Intel, iPhone, MediaTek, Qualcomm