This “report” is beyond sketchy and isn’t worth repeating. The source is a Korean blogger who just reads supply chain rumors posted on Chinese social media.
Do you know what kind of products supply chain sources can’t leak anything about? New chips that are, by more credible reports, still 2+ years away from release at the earliest. The supply chain doesn’t know anything about Apple’s progress on chips until it’s actually close to time to start manufacturing them. The only sources who can know the current status of Apple’s modem developments are internal ones working in their never-leaked-anything chip development labs. The supply chain will learn about it when Apple needs to start preparing for manufacturing.
They dropped PPC for Intel. Within two years, Jobs was on stage lamenting the partnership as Intel frequently missed deadlines or just simply couldn’t deliver. It took them a while, but we all saw it coming and I’m sure Apple couldn’t have been happier dropping such a shitty company that did nothing but hold onto its monopoly. The blackberry of processors.
They then partnered with AT&T as their exclusive carrier and again, within just a year or so, top VPs would take shots at them during their keynotes. Within a few years, the arrangement was changed.
Qualcomm has been a thorn in their side for over a decade. They have sued them. Publicly called them out on their exhortation pricing.
There’s no way, given Apple’s dedication to perfection, will they just suck it up and stay with them. Their pricing structure alone is enough reason to build their own modems.
If all of your relationships end because of animosity between you and your partner, it may not be that your partners are the difficult ones.
You’re not wrong. Apple are relentless perfectionists and expect the same from their partners (they have unparalleled QA requirements that most small manufacturers just can’t meet). No one. And I mean no one seems to like working with them! They demand… a lot.
But that’s what makes their products so polished, while everyone is still shipping cheap plastic crap.
Right? There’s no way they’re not working on it.
I’m guessing they figured out they aren’t going to be able to bring it to market for a few more years, so they’ve decided to stop talking about it for now.
Yeah, it’s Apple, they don’t really talk about future plans unless it’s some vague or obscure comment (we have “magical” things set to come out soon). Not to mention, Qualcomm is probably watching them like a hawk ready to unleash their billion dollar law firms at even the slightest hint of an Apple modem.
The delay is likely Qualcomm’s anti-competitive behaviour and patents, something Q has been hoarding since the early 2000s.
But they are 100% looking to exist that deal and just bring it in-house. I imagine that’s Apple’s end-game: to bring all sub-components into their own. No more licensing, no more idiots that don’t innovate. It’s just win win for them.
AT&T exclusivity was the best possible deal, at the time. Carriers dictated which phones they’d support. They were the primary obstacle to smartphones taking off, because you had to gamble on a three-year contract with some compromised gizmo loaded with telecom bullshit.
Steve Jobs was the first person stubborn enough to shove his way through that. Nobody got to force nonsense on his users, except him!
given Apple’s dedication to perfection
🤣
Yeah, it’s kinda like their main thing. You just get thawed or what.
I had the first unibody Macbook Pro. When it fell apart after 3 years I saw a video by Louis Rossman that made me realise they’re very poorly made.
They’re made to look good - not last. They are far from perfect.
‘Shitty-looking’ Lenovo Thinkpad’s are by far the better built laptop. Waterproof keyboards. Solid hinge mechanisms, etc.
What a shame. They were really close to getting into Qualcomms water. I guess if not even apple comes close, Qualcomm will have a monopoly for the next 10+ years and will dictate their price for their modems in every iphone. That field could have used some competition. Stock and champagner-kork at qualcom will go through the roof.
Apple should by Qualcomm.
Oh wait, that would be a horrible idea.
The patents. I mean Q modems are definitely quality, but only because they bought all the patents and basically bury anyone trying to compete with them. But the patents. To Apple, that is gold. Because I imagine lots of those patents prevent Apple from making this modem (finding the right personnel aside).
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No doubt this is why they stopped. But I don’t think Apple buying Qualcomm would be good for anyone - except Apple.
Apple didn’t stop; this report is a just made up rumors.
It all could’ve been a negotiating tactic as well. Even funding a couple dozen employees for a few years is worth it if it saves them tens of millions on licensing if Qualcomm cuts them a better deal.
But it’s still just a matter of time.
IIRC this is a regulatory hellscape.
Nobody wants to use Qualcomm’s chips. Everybody has to use Qualcomm’s chips. Through some combination of patent bullshit, leonine contract bullshit, and multinational certificiation bullshit, your options are “buy Qualcomm” or “yell.”
