Apple and 5G: The what, when and how

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Apple and 5G: The what, when and how

Apple

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Why it’s good news for Apple fans

The settlement means that Apple fans will not have to wait too long for a 5G iPhone. As with Apple and Qualcomm embroiled in legal battle, the former was struggling to find a 5G modem supplier for its iPhones.

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So, will Apple launch a 5G iPhone this year? Highly unlikely

It looks almost impossible as new modems require months of testing. Going by the traditional time lines, Apple would have needed to start testing a 5G iPhone in 2018 itself. However, its key supplier Intel, reportedly, did not have a chip ready.

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Why Apple needs Qualcomm's chips: Apple's current key supplier Intel would not have a 5G chip ready until 2020,

Apple's only current modem supplier, Intel, said that it would not have a 5G chip ready until 2020, which could have pushed Apple's launch of a 5G iPhone into 2021 -- a long enough delay that it could hurt sales. Qualcomm, on the other hand, is preparing to ship its second generation 5G chip and can meet Apple's needs with its current products.

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Who are the other 5G players and why they couldn't help Apple

There are five key players in the 5G modem chips space: Qualcomm, Intel, MediaTek Inc, Huawei and Samsung. So far, Samsung and Huawei only make chips for their own mobile phones. Intel is said to be running behind the deadline for 5G modems. As for Meditatek, reports claim that the company may not be able to provide the standard Apple looks for in its vendors.

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Why is 5G important for Apple

5G technology is among the biggest smartphone trends of the year 2019. Some of the biggest Apple rivals – Samsung, Huawei and OnePlus – have either already launched a 5G device or have announced one. This leaves Apple at least a year behind in the race.

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What made Apple go to the negotiating table with Qualcomm: Intel’s struggle with developing 5G chips

Apple was said to be working with Intel on 5G chips. However, the chipmaker reportedly had problems developing the product. In fact, just hours after Apple and Qualcomm announced their settlement, Intel announced its exit from the 5G smartphone modem business.

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How fast is 5G vs 4G: Up to 100 times faster than current 4G networks

5G is claimed to be up to 100 times faster than current 4G networks. The networks are coming online in the United States of America, China, South Korea among other places this year, but probably will not be widespread until 2020.

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What is Qualcomm's biggest advantage vs Intel: Speed

According to analysts, by the 2019 holiday season, almost every major Android smartphone in the US is expected to have a 5G phone running on Qualcomm chips, which are reportedly extremely fast.