Apple is in preliminary talks with a new supplier to get the back-end of its first built-in 5G modem chip for iPhones. Apple is reportedly in talks with ASE Technology, which owns ASE Semiconductor (ASE) and Silicon Products Technology (SPIL), to package its first self-designed 5G modem chips.
Both ASE and SPIL are Qualcomm’s partners in packaging 5G modem chips for the iPhone, including its latest Snapdragon X65 5G modem-RF system, which is currently being produced by Samsung Electronics, the report noted.
The source added that Apple, which is estimated to ship at least 200 million new iPhones in 2023, will certainly rely on multiple partners to handle its in-house 5G modem chips and RF transceivers under its regular supply chain management policies for devices back-end processing of ICs.”
Apple has arranged for its main chipmaking partner, TSMC, to start producing most of its new in-house modem chips, which are expected to appear in the 2023 iPhones, tentatively called the iPhone 15 series.
Apple and TSMC are currently pilot-producing Apple’s in-house modem designs using TSMC’s 5nm process, but they will move to the more advanced 4nm technology for mass production.
TSMC is already targeting the main A16 series chips with 4nm technology in the iPhone 14 series lineup in 2022, and the iPhone 15 series in 2023 will move to the A17 series chips with 3nm technology.
The move, which has grown over the years and was reinforced by Apple’s 2019 acquisition of much of Intel’s modem business, would allow Apple to move away from Qualcomm as a significant supplier of chips supporting cellular connectivity.