Apple đź’” Qualcomm
While regulatory bodies such as the EU keep fighting to open up Apple’s walled ecosystem, Apple is looking into other aspects of their devices where they can keep control of. Such is the case with Apple’s first in-house cellular modem chip, the C1.
It looks like Apple’s acquisition of Intel’s smartphone modem division is coming into fruition as the Cupertino-based tech giant makes a play to decrease the company’s dependency on Qualcomm’s cellular modem monopoly.
Despite designing almost every aspect of their devices’ internals, Apple still relies on Qualcomm’s modems for connectivity. The existence of the C1 proves that Apple is more than capable of producing every aspect of their devices, from the processors to the cellular modems.
Even Apple’s SVP of Hardware Technologies, Johny Srouji, seems to think so. Claiming that this is just the start of something so much bigger.
Why does Apple want its own cellular modem?
There are a few things that come to mind:
- Better integration with iOS—Since Apple already controls the software side, the C1 could potentially further improve Apple devices’ efficiency, battery life, and signal reliability.
- Less dependence on Qualcomm—Qualcomm made quite the cheddar on the iPhone’s modems by earning a whopping $7 billion. Apple’s move could save the company a fortune.
- Preventing Qualcomm from making a chip to beat Apple’s—Qualcomm, a chip manufacturer most famous for making competing flagship chips, might be hindered by Apple’s departure.
Apple’s move could also have a rippling effect on the industry as a whole. It could set a precedent that other phone manufacturers, such as Samsung and Google, could eventually follow, therefore further crippling Qualcomm.
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