From 2016, Cupertino tech giant Apple will start to incorporate Intel’s LTE modems instead of sticking with the mobile industry’s leading chip maker Qualcomm. According to a source, Apple will be looking at Intel’s 7360 LTE modem to be assimilated in to its future iteration of iPhones. The biggest advantage of having the 7360 LTE modem present inside mobile devices is that they will deliver speeds equivalent to Category 9 modems, which possess a maximum download speed of 450 Mbps as well as supporting 29 LTE bands.
Unfortunately, the upcoming iPhones boasting the new LTE modems will only be targeted to the US, since that is the only region where those LTE bands will be supported.Furthermore, reports state that not all iPhones will be shipped with Intel’s LTE chipset. So far, Apple has not commented on whether or not its future lineup of iPads will also be sporting the same LTE chips or not.
According to Analyst Ben Bajarin, Apple future offerings will comprise up of more than one variant. One batch will be shipped out with Qualcomm’s LTE modems while the other batch will be fitted with Intel’s connectivity chips. In addition, Intel announced a long time back that it was working on 3G connectivity modems that were specifically designed for wearables and would be able to deliver faster speeds compared to the modems present in smartphones.
While the following has not been confirmed, if Intel will be equipping Apple’s iPhones with its LTE modems, then it is possible that the leading processor maker for desktop and laptops will also be working on rolling out connectivity chips for Apple’s future models of the Apple Watch. If rumors do end up being true, then Qualcomm will be losing out on significant earnings in the near future.
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