Apple has chosen Intel’s chips to be integrated in its iPhones to support 5G networks, and the iPhones will only be available on 2020, a year later than Qualcomm, the company that plans to release their 5G modem chips next year.
Apple will be using Intel’s 8161 modem chip in the future iPhones in 2020 and already have a 8060 modem chip, a precursor to be experimented with the 5G iPhone which is facing heat dissipation issues which was also found in Qualcomm’s Snapdragon’s 5G modem. The high thermal energy causes users to be able to feel the heat on their smartphones and also drains battery life too quickly, which are issues that must be solved to ensure smartphone’s longevity.
It is also reported that MediaTek will be the backup in supplying 5G modem chips to Apple and that it is very unlikely for Apple to collaborate with Qualcomm, despite their faster progress in succeeding in the 5G technology. Qualcomm on the other hand will be expecting flagship 5G smartphones next year from brands such as OPPO, Vivo, Xiaomi and others.
The first 5G smartphones will be expected by next year and will most likely be Android devices powered by Qualcomm 5G chips. 5G networks are said to be able to deliver up to 10Gbps, which is so much faster than the current 4G networks.