We are in the middle of a big imbroglio involving Apple and Qualcomm which, apparently, are even hurting users. Yes, I may be wrong, but everything suggests that the companies' fight and the fact that Apple has to work now only with Intel made the iPhones XS, XS Max and XR to be equipped with “less global” modems this after all, the only explanation for the new iPhones not to support the same bands as the iPhone X, for example (clearly, Qualcomm has superior experience and technology than Intel in this field).
But the fact that the fight is going on and, at least for now, is far from over. And Intel has a great opportunity to prove that it can supply Ma great modems. A big bet, at least according to Fast Company, is in the fact that Intel is Apple's only supplier for 5G chips, which are expected to start to be implemented by Apple in 2020 according to a vehicle source.
The modem to be used by Apple is the Intel 8161. Also according to the magazine, the company has been working on a precursor to the 8161 called 8060, which will be used for prototyping and testing the iPhone 5G. The 8161 will be manufactured using Intel's 10 nanometer process, which increases the density of transistors for more speed and efficiency.
For now, however, things are not looking good: Apple would be dissatisfied with Intel due to the challenge of solving heat dissipation problems caused by the 8060 chip. Explaining: in the US, operators like Verizon and AT&T will initially depend on the wave spectrum millimeter (between 30GHz and 300GHz) to connect the first 5G phones. But the millimeter wave signal requires heavy lifting from modern chips, which then causes this higher than normal release of thermal energy inside the phone. In other words, the device becomes hot, even if it directly impacts battery consumption.
For now, Apple has not set out on a "plan B" that would be to switch suppliers, opting for MediaTek (Apple has already talked to her about it, according to the vehicle). Or, who knows, even a "plan C" (which would be talking to Qualcomm itself, something that Ma should be avoiding as much as possible). On the positive side for Intel, we still have time, since the company would have 12 to 18 months to try to solve these chip problems.
This, of course, are forecasts and future plans which can always change. The 5G networks have not shown up yet and the first devices with technology support should paint in February of next year, at the Mobile World Congress Oppo, Huawei and Xiaomi, for example, should present new smartphones equipped with chips from the riddle! Qualcomm (which would have already solved this problem of heat dissipation in its modems).
The fact that Apple waits until 2020 to launch the first iPhone with support for 5G networks is not unexpected. In that sense, Apple has a huge responsibility to be the company that sells the most devices in the world and, therefore, has to make sure that everything is working properly since a simple recall can greatly affect her plans. As the 5G standard was finalized just this year and the number of 5G base stations available in the main markets will remain quite limited in 2019, the plan to start everything in 2020 makes sense.
via 9to5Mac
