Apple Stock News: 5G Chip Won’t Support mmWave
Apple Stock News: Apple has been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, but the first version is expected to lack mmWave support. According to DigiTimes, the company will continue to depend on Qualcomm for mmWave capabilities in U.S. iPhones until that changes.Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasts that two iPhone models featuring Apple’s 5G modem will debut in 2025: a new iPhone SE in the first quarter and a slimmer iPhone 17 in the third quarter. The SE may skip mmWave support to keep costs down, and the iPhone 17 might also make design compromises.
mmWave provides high speeds over short distances, making it suitable for urban settings, while sub-6GHz 5G offers wider coverage at lower speeds and is more common. Currently, all iPhones use Qualcomm modems, but Apple intends to move away from Qualcomm in the future, having extended their supply agreement through 2026. In 2019, Apple acquired most of Intel’s smartphone modem business to enhance its chip development. While it remains uncertain if Apple’s modems will surpass Qualcomm’s, they would reduce Apple’s reliance on external suppliers.
Wi-Fi Chip for iPad
Apple’s in-house Wi-Fi chip could debut next year. Sources indicate that new iPad models may feature the chip in 2025, though it might not arrive until the iPhone 18 series in 2026. Development of this chip has been underway since 2021.
While the consumer benefits are unclear, the chip would reduce Apple’s reliance on Broadcom as it aims to produce more components in-house. All iPhone 16 models support Wi-Fi 7, which is up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6E with a compatible router. Additionally, Apple is expected to launch devices with its own 5G chip next year, including a new iPhone SE and a tentatively named iPhone 17 Air, moving away from Qualcomm as its supplier.
Chips for iPhone
The iPhone 17 series will use TSMC’s enhanced N3P 3-nanometer technology, while the iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026 are expected to adopt 2nm technology due to cost concerns, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. “3nm” and “2nm” indicate generations of chip manufacturing, with smaller numbers signifying smaller transistors that enhance speed and efficiency. Apple started using 3-nanometer chips last year, including the A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and M3 series for Macs. The iPhone 16 series features the A18 chip, built on a second-generation 3-nanometer process.
TSMC plans to begin 2nm production in late 2025, with Apple likely being the first customer. TSMC is expanding its facilities to support this technology and has made significant investments in 2nm production. As TSMC’s largest customer, Apple usually gets priority access to new chips, having secured all initial 3-nanometer production in 2023. TSMC will also roll out improvements within the 3nm category, including N3E, N3P, and upcoming chips like N3X for high-performance computing and N3AE for automotive applications.
