Apple Communication Chip Launch Delayed Again... "Expected Release in 2026"

Labor Shortage and Qualcomm Patent Avoidance Also Delay Development

Apple is reportedly facing difficulties in developing its 5th generation (5G) communication chip for the iPhone, causing the launch of its own communication chip to be delayed once again from the end of 2025 to early 2026.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 17th (local time), Bloomberg News cited sources saying that it is expected to take several more years for Apple to develop a communication chip capable of downloading data at speeds faster than current technology.

Apple has been developing its own communication chip since 2018, investing thousands of employees and billions of dollars. The goal is to reduce dependence on Qualcomm communication chips and lower production costs. The starting point was a lawsuit battle with Qualcomm over excessive royalty demands and patent infringement issues that began in 2017. In 2019, Apple accelerated its own communication chip development by acquiring Intel’s smartphone chip division.

Apple initially set the target launch date for iPhones equipped with its own communication chip as 2024. However, due to development difficulties, it was postponed to early 2025, and now it has been delayed again to late 2025 to early 2026, according to the report.

Signs that Apple’s development of its own communication chip is encountering problems emerged recently when Apple signed a contract with Qualcomm to supply communication chips for iPhones until 2026. Communication chips require a high level of technology as they must function smoothly with global carriers under various environments and conditions to prevent call or internet connection drops. Currently, Apple’s communication chip development is in its early stages, and the development team believes the performance of the first product may lag behind competitors by several years.

Not only is the development of communication chips itself difficult, but a shortage of engineering personnel is also cited as a factor prolonging the development period. Additionally, Apple must avoid infringing Qualcomm patents during the development process, which is also pointed out as a cause of delayed technology development. Even if Apple succeeds in developing its own communication chip, if it infringes Qualcomm patents, it will still have to pay Qualcomm a royalty of $9 per iPhone.

A source familiar with the project said, "It was quite clear from the beginning that this project would be a difficult task," adding, "It is a mystery that Apple thought it could succeed by acquiring Intel’s failed project." Another source said, "(Avoiding Qualcomm’s patent infringement) adds another layer of pressure to an already difficult process," and added, "We have a fear of being sued."