Apple’s First 5G Chip Reportedly Doesn’t Support mmWave, 2025 iPads May Use Apple-Designed Wi-Fi Chip

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Apple’s self-developed 5G modems may lack mmWave support, and it’s possible that Apple’s rumored new in-house Wi-Fi chip will be used in some iPad models in 2025, according to a report from Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes.

Apple’s 5G Modem

The report claims Apple’s in-house 5G modem does not yet offer support for mmWave technology. Until Apple can add mmWave support, it will likely continue to use Qualcomm 5G modems, which support mmWave, for any upcoming iPhone releases.

In July, Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is planning to use its in-house 5G modems in one high-end and one low-end iPhone in 2025, which means they could be used in an iPhone 17 model and a new iPhone SE model. A lower-end device like the iPhone SE may not raise many eyebrows by lacking mmWave support — the current models already lack it — although Apple would have to scramble to justify not offering mmWave support in a higher-end device like the iPhone 17.

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mmWave is a high-frequency 5G band that promises super-fast speeds at short distances, making it ideal for use in urban areas. Meanwhile, sub-6GHz 5G provides slower speeds than mmWave, but the signal travels longer distances, making it ideal for use in suburban and rural areas. 

Apple’s existing iPhone lineup continues to be equipped with Qualcomm modems. Earlier this year, Apple extended its 5G modem supply contract with Qualcomm until at least 2026, so Apple has a bit of time to work out the bugs in its 5G modems.

In July 2019, Apple acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business as it moved forward with its plan to manufacture its own 5G modems. The transaction was valued at $1 billion, and Apple said at the time that the purchase would “help expedite our development on future products and allow Apple to further differentiate moving forward.”

Since then, the Cupertino firm has been working to develop its own 5G modem to lessen its reliance on Qualcomm. In November 2023, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is still “years away” from having a 5G modem chip that would be ready to compete with Qualcomm’s modems.

Apple’s Wi-Fi Chip

The DigiTimes report also claims Apple’s rumored in-house developed Wi-Fi chip may be used in some of its devices as early as 2025. 

The report, citing inside sources, indicates that at least some new iPad models launching in 2025 might use an Apple-developed Wi-Fi chip. However, the sources also said there is a chance the new Wi-Fi chip might not debut until the release of the 2026 iPhone 18 lineup. Apple was first reported to be working on its own Wi-Fi chip in 2021, so Apple has been working on the Wi-Fi radio for quite a while now.

An Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip would likely not offer any exciting new features or great benefits for consumers. However, designing and producing the chip in-house would allow the company to possibly cut costs by lessening its reliance on its current WiFi chip provider, Broadcom. 

The iPhone 16 lineup, which is hitting stores today, offers support for Wi-Fi 7, which can provide connection speeds up to 4x as fast as Wi-Fi 6E. A Wi-Fi 7-capable router is also required to enable the faster connection speeds.



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