Intel will provide the LTE modem chip for a new Apple smartphone in 2016, VentureBeat reported citing two sources with knowledge of the companies’ plans. Intel’s new 7360 LTE modem will replace the Qualcomm chips long-used for the iPhone on a special version of the iPhone that will be marketed to emerging markets in Asia and Latin America, the sources said.
The Intel 7360 LTE modem supports Cat 9/10 LTE and tri-band carrier aggregation, offering download speeds up to 450 Mbps. According to the report, Apple engineers have been making trips to Munich, Germany to work with Intel engineers to ready the LTE chip for the iPhone.
The Intel facility in Munich is the former home of Infineon’s communications chip business, which Intel acquired back in 2010. It’s now the seat for research and development of Intel’s next generation of LTE chips. Infineon once produced 3G modem chips for iPhones at the Munich facility, but Apple stopped sourcing the chips from Infineon after Intel bought the company.
Both Intel and Apple declined to comment on the story.
