Apple Reportedly Delays Development Of Its Own WiFi Chips

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has “halted the development” of its own WiFi chip, which was intended to replace Broadcom’s in its products, “for a while.” According to the renowned analyst’s post on social media, he based this research on his most recent analysis of the foundries, machinery, packaging, and testing in the semiconductor business. Recall that Bloomberg stated earlier this month that the tech giant was developing its own wireless processors for products expected to be released in 2025. Although Apple hasn’t officially confirmed the rumour, it’s not exactly difficult to believe given that the tech giant has been making efforts to increase in-house component design and manufacturing in order to reduce its reliance on outside suppliers.

Kuo reveals that, Apple decided to focus the majority of its resources on creating its upcoming A-series and M-series processors. In this way, it can guarantee that the processors for its MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones can be produced over the following few years. The analyst added that using Apple’s own WiFi chips at a time when businesses are converting their devices to WiFi 6E is risky for Apple. The analyst claimed that given that the iPhone 15 is anticipated to support the new WiFi standard that enables access to the 6 GHz band, Broadcom will be the situation’s “largest winner.”

Apple’s desire to develop its own wireless chipset is still intact, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, even though it’s uncertain if the company will ever release its own WiFi chip. Gurman commented on Kuo’s Twitter thread about the report and stated that the tech giant is still developing a WiFi-Bluetooth hybrid chip. Gurman previously stated that the tech giant is also developing a semiconductor that combines Bluetooth, cellular, and WiFi into a single component, although he did not specify whether that one is still in the works.

One of The Information’s sources said that the device might use the company’s in-house Bluetooth and WiFi chipset when it reported last week that Apple was developing a less expensive mixed reality headset. Because it wouldn’t have to contend with a third-party company’s pricing demands, Apple would be able to control costs and the device’s final retail price.