Apple is believed to have taken the first steps to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm, the chipmaker it is embroiled in a bitter dispute with. Towards that, the Cupertino company has stated its next generation of iPhone and iPad devices won’t be featuring any of Qualcomm chips.
Apple is right now in the midst of a bitter court battle with the San Diego based chip maker whom it accuses of misusing its dominance in the field to jack up prices of patent royalties. Qualcomm, on the other hand, has said Apple isn’t paying the royalties that it legally owes to the company.
The San Diego based chip maker is also looking for ways to deny Apple access to the Chinese market with its current crop of iPhone devices, besides manufacturing the device in that country as well. While it remains to be seen if Qualcomm succeeds in that but if it does then it could spell disaster for Apple given the sheer size of the smartphone market in China.
Meanwhile, what has also come to the fore is that nothing has been set in stone yet. While its true Apple is actively looking at modem chips from rival companies like Intel or MediaTek for fitment in the next iPhone and iPad devices, chances are that there could still be some last minute changes in the entire product development plans.
Whether that means Apple is yet keeping the road open for Qualcomm to fit in a post a revised royalty sharing plan remains to be seen. The person that first broke the news chose anonymity given the confidential nature of the news. Apple also reiterated the oft-repeated line, that it does not comment on its future product line-up.
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Qualcomm meanwhile said they are ready to assist Apple in integrating its next-gen modems on future Apple devices. In fact, it even said the modems have already been made available to Apple even though the latter said the software to test the chips in prototype devices has been withheld.
All of comes when Apple is said to be working all out to increase production of the iPhone X that is believed to facing some teething production issues.
