Apple to acquire Intel modem division for 5G phones

Mumbai : Months after Intel decided to abandon its modem business as it had lost the hopes of producing 5G tech for future iPhones, a new report in Wall Street Journal claims that the tech giant is “in advanced talks” to buy Intel’s modem chip division within the next week, “according to people familiar with the matter”.

Apple’s decision for making good with Qualcomm was largely driven by Intel’s inability to deliver a 5G-capable smartphone modem in time to satisfy Apple’s own roadmap for a 5G iPhone release.

However, Qualcomm is already ahead in the game and have its 2019 flagship smartphone processor, the Snapdragon 855, being the first to be compatible with 5G connectivity thanks to an embedded modem.

It is expected that Apple will be buying Intel modem division for a whopping $1 billion worth of staff, patents and research that Intel accrued over the course of a decade.

While the first wave of 5G iPhones will still likely use the established Qualcomm technology, Apple’s potential acquisition of Intel’s modem division could further the Cupertino firm’s push to bring as much iPhone production in-house as possible.

An official confirmation to the report is yet to come from the Apple.