14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is rumored to have started development on its own modems after having to use lower performance Intel modems in the iPhone XS and XR models following the Qualcomm legal battle spanning the past few years.
As reported by The Information, Apple put up a couple of job listings to find cellular modem systems architects in Santa Clara and San Diego.
The two job listing are not the only ones targeting individuals with expertise in building mobile chips, with Apple also having published some other listings searching for RF design engineers.
As stated by some sources, Apple strives to develop its own modem chips to replace third-party ones just as it did with its in-house designed ARM-based system on a chip (SoC).
Despite this, even if Apple would be able to have the modems developed by its own chip designers as fast as possible, it would be tough to have them ready in time for the 5G-capable iPhone rollout.
Apple reportedly working on new and faster modems capable of competing with Qualcomm chips
Apple's decision is not at all surprising when taking into consideration the ongoing legal battle the company is in with Qualcomm since early 2017 which convinced Apple to switch to Intel-based chips even though they were known to be less performant.
According to LTE speed tests ran by Ookla and cited by VentureBeat, devices powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 have been utterly obliterated smartphones that use rival Intel modem, providing up to 53% faster download speeds depending on the carrier network used for the test.
The decision to develop its own SoC was seen as the natural thing to do for Apple given that other smartphone market opponents such as Samsung and Huawei are also building their own system on a chip solutions.
Therefore, the next logical move would be also to start building its own modems to gain complete independence from other mobile hardware manufacturers and, eventually, to be in control of every hardware and software component of its iPhone platform.