Currently, Qualcomm supplies the wireless LTE chips found in Apple’s iOS devices. However, a new report by AppleInsider is claiming that Intel-owned Infineon is looking to supply baseband processors for future iPhone models. According to analyst Timothy Acuri of Cowen and Company, talks are heating up between Intel and Apple for next year’s iPhone models.
In a note to investors issued earlier today, Acuri said that Apple is having talks with Intel about components for next-generation iPhone models. While noting that Apple’s talks may simply be a way for Apple to get better prices from Qualcomm, Acuri speculates that Apple is unlikely to ultimately choose Intel, though the discussions do add “an air of credibility to Intel’s LTE baseband efforts”.
“One area where Acuri does believe Apple could make a switch is the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo chip found in the iPhone, which is currently supplied by Broadcom. Acuri said on Monday that he’s seen evidence that Qualcomm has made “significant strides in his roadmap,” which he believes could put it in a position to displace Broadcom in the next two years.”
The last Apple handset to feature an Intel Infineon baseband chip was the GSM iPhone 4 in 2010.
