Reduce dependence on Qualcomm Apple's self-developed baseband will be put into use in 2023

Apple pursues a risk-sharing strategy in product supply, and there are generally multiple suppliers of each part, so that supply problems can be avoided. However, the baseband chip may be an exception, the current Apple's 5G baseband is completely dependent on Qualcomm, which is obviously what Apple wants to avoid, and Apple's self-developed baseband is also in full development.

According to the latest news in the supply chain, Apple's self-developed baseband chip will be put into use in 2023, TSMC will be the exclusive foundry of this chip, and the baseband chip will be manufactured using the 5nm process, with an annual production capacity of 120,000 pieces. From the perspective of the 5nm process, Apple should use independent baseband chips, rather than a more extreme integration solution, after all, Apple's new chips will definitely use 4nm or even more advanced processes to manufacture.

For Apple's use of self-developed chips, Qualcomm has already hinted before. Qualcomm said that in 2023, the share of iPhone baseband orders will drop to about 20%, and the biggest reason for this is undoubtedly the use of Apple's self-developed baseband.

After Apple uses the self-developed baseband, consumers are undoubtedly most concerned about the signal performance of the iPhone. The Intel baseband that Apple once used was not recognized by consumers due to its poor performance in performance. The reason for the poor signal of Apple's mobile phone is also mostly attributed to the use of Intel baseband. After Apple switched to Qualcomm baseband, the problem of poor signal on Apple's mobile phone has been alleviated to a certain extent.

After acquiring Intel's modem division for $1 billion, Apple officially opened the way to develop its own modems. Judging from Apple's current signal performance alone, it is clear that the baseband is not the main factor in the signal difference. After the launch of the iPhone model using the self-developed chip, the current signal performance can be maintained, which is actually the success of Apple's self-developed baseband.