14 DAY TRIAL // 5G is the next big thing in mobile, but while the majority of manufacturers update their smartphones with ne modems to take advantage of the faster networks, Apple is left with no other choice than to hope its partners would be able to do the same thing by the end of 2020.
While a 5G iPhone is very unlikely to see daylight this year, a recent report indicated that such a model might not hit the shelves in 2020 either, especially because Apple can’t find a modem supplier for this device.
Apple’s options are said to be very limited at this point. Qualcomm, which is the go-to company for 5G modems, is currently at war with Apple over patent royalties, while MediaTek, a potential replacement, is unlikely to meet its requirements. Samsung is a no-go as well given that Apple wants to reduce reliance on its rival, while Intel in particular was said to be unable to finalize its 5G chip next year.
In fact, Intel has been Apple’s preferred supplier for the latest-generation iPhones, but news that the company could miss the deadline wasn’t necessarily surprising.
5G iPhone coming next year
And yet, Intel explains in a statement for Fast Company that the development of its 5G modem is on track and advancing as planned, suggesting that a 5G iPhone is still possible next year.
“As we said in November 2018, Intel plans to support customer device launches in 2020 with its XMM 8160 5G multimode modem,” a company representative was quoted as saying.
Intel needs to finalize its modem, however, much sooner in order to provide it to Apple for additional testing. Then, should everything work properly, the company would have to ramp up production to meet the output required by Apple in time for the September 2020 launch.
Of course, we’re still far away from the moment the 5G iPhone would see daylight, but it’s pretty clear that right now, every little issue that Intel might experience could cause a substantial delay for this upgraded iPhone.