03 Aug Apple May Switch to Different Modem for iphone7

There is news that Apple could be shopping for a new modem supplier for their next generation of smartphones, the iPhone 7. So, who is Apple eyeing to be their next supplier?

Steve Mollenkopf hinted that a huge Qualcomm client would be seeking another company to supply modems. He pointed this out while speaking to analysts. Apple and Samsung are the largest clients that Qualcomm has, and Samsung is not new to buying its parts from different suppliers. He did not, however, specify which company he was talking about.

It would make sense for Apple so source modems from different suppliers. This would ensure that production goes on smoothly and the possibility of a bottleneck would be eliminated. However, optimization could be a problem they would have to tackle. This is because different modems have different power requirements and also perform differently when connected to cellular networks.

However, it is not clear whom Apple will pick to be their next supplier. However, there is a strong likelihood that Apple could turn to Intel as a second or alternate supplier. A report that backdates to October pointed out that Intel was working hard to ensure they got a modem into the next generation of Apple smartphones. In line with this, Apple lent a helping hand in the form of engineers to aid in the optimization of the 7360 LTE Modem by Intel.

All this points to a strong likelihood that the next generation of iPhones could feature Intel modems. The ‘iPhone 7’ is expected to be launched in September, leaving only a small window of time for Apple to choose a modem supplier, assuming it hasn’t already done settled on one. Production is expected to have started by July if the company is to meet the launch date later in the year.

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