Apple’s 5G iPhone Reportedly Coming in 2020 with Intel Modems: Report

Are you waiting for an iPhone with 5G? Mark Sullivan, writing for Fast Company:

Apple’s 5G iPhone will come to market in 2020, a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans says.

Apple plans to use Intel’s 8161 5G modem chip in its 2020 phones. If everything goes as planned, Intel will be the sole provider of iPhone modems.

Intel has been working on a precursor to the 8161 called the 8060, which will be used for prototyping and testing the 5G iPhone. The 8161 will be fabricated using Intel’s 10-nanometer process, which increases transistor density for more speed and efficiency.

Apple, our source says, has been unhappy with Intel lately. The most likely reason relates to the challenge of solving heat dissipation issues caused by the 8060 modem chip.

Apple has also reportedly held talks with MediaTek, about possibly supplying 5G chips as an alternative.

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While an iPhone with 5G networking will be welcome, it still depends on wireless carriers and when they will get 5G spectrum. The Canadian government won’t hold their 5G wireless spectrum auction until 2020, despite players like Telus calling for the auction in 2019.

Telus chief technology officer, Ibrahim Gedeon, said earlier this year regarding the delayed 5G auction, “You will not be able, as a Canadian, to use the latest Samsung phone, or the latest LG, or the latest Huawei, or even the latest iPhone, till 2021.”

Prepaid wireless carriers are still using and touting 3G speeds in Canada. When 5G launches in the future, does that mean they might get an upgrade to ‘slower’ 4G LTE?

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