Apple Commissions TSMC to Build Custom 5G Modem for iPhone

Soon: Apple has reportedly turned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to build 5G modems for future iPhones. It’s unclear exactly when the new hardware will be ready for deployment, but we hear that it will be built on TSMC’s 4nm process sometime in 2023.

Sources familiar with the matter said Nikkei Asia that Apple is aiming to use TSMC’s 4nm manufacturing process for its first internal 5G modem. The people added that Apple is also working on its own radio frequency and millimeter wave components to complement the 5G modem, and others noted that the iPhone maker is also developing its own power management chip for the modem.

Up until this point, Apple has relied on Qualcomm’s modem hardware for 5G connectivity on its iPhones.

Apple has been looking to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm for a while, going as far as buy Intel’s 5G modem business by mid-2019. Not having to rely on a vendor like Qualcomm for this vital component would not only save Apple money, it would allow Cupertino to increase efficiency through better hardware integration.

Interestingly, Apple will use TSMC’s 5nm process to design and test and produce the chip, before switching to the more advanced 4nm technology later in the process. The publication notes that commercialization is not expected until 2023, although it is unclear if the new chip will ship to iPhones that year or next.

Image Credit Sahej brar