Oliver Haslam on February 8, 2019, 7:37 pm

Apple Rumored To Have Started Working On Its Own Modems For iPhone

It’s no secret that Apple wants to control every aspect of its iPhone production, and that’s why the company designs its own CPUs. Those CPUs have grown to be some of the fastest around, and they’re so fast that there is an expectation that they will make an appearance in Macs before too long. That prowess at designing chips is apparently enough to have Apple working on its own modems, too.

According to a report by Reuters, Apple has assembled a new team that will focus on engineering an in-house modem for use in iPhones, with chipmaking supremo Johny Srouji heading it up.

Apple Inc has moved its modem chip engineering effort into its in-house hardware technology group from its supply chain unit, two people familiar with the move told Reuters, a sign the tech company is looking to develop a key component of its iPhones after years of buying it from outside suppliers.

This goes along the same lines as rumors that have been flying around for months, and comes as no surprise as Apple fights Qualcomm in various courts across the globe. Currently relying on Intel in a way it never planned to, Apple’s push to design its own modems gives it more control over what goes into its iPhone and, presumably, other cellular connected devices like the iPad and potentially, Apple Watch.

Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, took over the company’s modem design efforts in January, the sources said. The organizational move has not been previously reported.

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The Cupertino, California-based company has posted job listings for modem engineers in San Diego, a hub for wireless design talent because of Qualcomm’s longtime presence there and a place where Apple has said it plans to build up its workforce.

The report has Apple’s Srouji taking over the modem design work last month, so it’s not likely we will see the fruits of his, and his team’s labor for a good while yet.

(Source: Reuters)