Apple has informed Intel that it will not use the chipmaker's 5G mobile modem in its 2020 iPhones, according to a new report.

Israeli website CTech by Calcalist reported on Wednesday that it had reviewed internal communications from Intel and spoken to "people familiar with the matter", leading it to conclude that Intel will not provide the 5G modems for Apple's 2020 mobile devices.

intel iphone x

Apple has notified Intel it will not use a mobile modem developed by the chipmaker in its next-generation mobile device, Intel executives said in the communications. Further development of the modem component internally called "Sunny Peak" is halted and Intel's team working on the product will be redirected to other efforts, the executives said.

Calcalist said the communications it had seen described Apple as the "key mobile customer" and the "main volume driver" for the "Sunny Peak" 5G mobile modem, underlining the impact the loss of business would have on the chipmaker.

Apple was also said to be facing a "massive effort" to launch 5G in its mobile products, with Intel executives blaming the company's decision not to use its modems on "many factors", including the introduction of a faster WiGig (802.11ad) Wi-Fi standard, which brought "new and unanticipated challenges".

In a response to Calcalist's request for comment, an Intel spokesman said the company does not comment on matters relating to its customers.

The news follows one analyst's prediction last week that Apple could choose to use modems manufactured by MediaTek instead of Intel in future iPhones.

Northland analyst Gus Richard gave no timeline for the predicted switch, but with deals for 2018 iPhones already established, any impact was expected no earlier than 2019.

Apple added Intel as a manufacturer only a couple of years ago, after previously relying solely on Qualcomm for its modem chips. Current iPhones use LTE chips from both companies, but Apple is embroiled in a lawsuit with Qualcomm and is rumored to be planning to ditch their chips, too.

Apple is believed to be developing its own modem chips, but it will need to continue to use third-party chips until its in-house solution is ready to be deployed in iOS devices.

Current rumors suggest Intel will supply approximately 70 percent of LTE chips for Apple's 2018 lineup, with the rest of the chips coming from Qualcomm.

Apple is also moving away from Intel chips in its Mac lineup, with rumors indicating the company is developing its own custom chips that could appear in Macs as early as 2020.

Update: In response to this story, Intel told MacRumors the company's 5G customer engagements and roadmap had not changed for 2018 through 2020. "We remain committed to our 5G plans and projects," said a spokesperson.

Tag: Intel
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

PickUrPoison Avatar
89 months ago
Apple is also moving away from Intel chips in its Mac lineup
No. But Apple might also be; or, may also be; or, could also be...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
89 months ago
Intel has never been passionate about Mobile. They got out of ARM when their strongARM processors powered the first PocketPCs (dumb) and are getting out of modems now that next gen networks are coming out.
Sitting on their non-improving x86 forever can't be a way forward for intel, but I guess that's what they're choosing to do. Good luck to them.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
89 months ago
I look forward to when Apple actually has their own developed modem chips, that way they don’t deal with all the inconsistencies with Intel and Qualcomm Over the years.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scooz Avatar
89 months ago
Apple themselves building something that has to be reliable? In 1. gen? Oh my.

What happened to diversification as a means to limiting risks, btw?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TimmeyCook Avatar
89 months ago
I look forward to when Apple actually has their own developed modem chips, that way they don’t deal with all the inconsistencies with Intel and Qualcomm Over the years.
Yes, that’s Tim Cook’s plan.

Stop financing R&D that will end up in Androids 6 months later.

PowerVR was just an example, it was enabling Samsung Exynos chips.
[doublepost=1530785871][/doublepost]
I don’t see how it’s bad for anyone except Intel.
That’s because you didn’t factor in that MediaTek is synonymous of crap on Android, and it’s a Chinese company.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
throAU Avatar
89 months ago
Another non-x86 based product, another failure.

ah, intel...


edit:
and right now, x86/x64 intel is being exposed as being a complete and utter shambles from a security point of view. so many dodgy hacks and shortcuts for performance at the expense of security...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson

iPhone 17 Air Almost as Thin as Its Buttons, New Images Show

Thursday April 24, 2025 2:14 am PDT by
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Global Close Your Rings Day Pin

Apple Stores Giving Away a Limited-Edition Pin For Free Today

Thursday April 24, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Starting today, April 24, Apple Stores around the world are giving away a special pin for free to customers who request one, while supplies last. Photo Credit: Filip Chudzinski The enamel pin's design is inspired by the Global Close Your Rings Day award in the Activity app, which Apple Watch users can receive by closing all three Activity rings today. The limited-edition pin is the physical...
Apple Logo Spotlight Blue

White House Hits Back at Apple's Massive EU Fine

Thursday April 24, 2025 5:57 am PDT by
Apple's $570 million fine from the EU has triggered a sharp rebuke from the White House, which called the fine a form of economic extortion, Reuters reports. The fine was announced on Wednesday by the European Commission, following a formal investigation into Apple's compliance with the bloc's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark piece of legislation aimed at curbing the market dominance of ...
ipad air magic keyboard feature

iPadOS 19 Rumored to Show Mac-Like Menu Bar When Connected to Magic Keyboard

Thursday April 24, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
When an iPad running iPadOS 19 is connected to a Magic Keyboard, a macOS-like menu bar will appear on the screen, according to the leaker Majin Bu. This change would further blur the lines between the iPad and the Mac. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously claimed that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS," with unspecified improvements to productivity, multitasking, and app window management,...