January 10, 2023
As part of its long-term strategy of producing its own silicon, Apple intends to substitute the iPhone Bluetooth/Wi-Fi IC currently supplied by Broadcom with its own in-house design by 2025.
The chip that will replace the Broadcom solution is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip that is used in a variety of devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Furthermore, Apple is already developing an improved version that includes a cellular modem in the same IC package.
As part of the transition, Apple intends to release its first cellular modem chip by the end of 2024 or early 2025, allowing it to replace Qualcomm electronics, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are confidential. Apple had previously planned to replace the Qualcomm component as soon as this year, but development snags have pushed the timeline back.
According to Bloomberg News, Apple intends to replace Broadcom’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, and the company is the chipmaker’s largest customer.
In addition, the company may replace Qualcomm’s modem with its own in-house design. This is a huge change in Apple’s supply chain strategy, indicating the company’s increased emphasis on developing its own hardware technologies.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.
