Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s new wireless chip makes a truly global iPhone possible

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 22, 2013

Doesn't it bother you that Apple sells its LTE devices like the iPhone 5 and latest iPads in a bunch of variants, depending on your carrier and geographical location? For example, the iPhone comes in two GSM models and one CDMA version. Blame it on the limitations with existing wireless chipsets, not Apple. Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a fantastic technology, but it's also highly fragmented.

And with nearly fifty different cellular bands in use globally worldwide, no wonder LTE is a bag of hurt, one that has introduced fragmentation unlike any other cellular radio technology before it.

Fortunately, chip maker Qualcomm has announced a new cellular solution which supports as much as 40 different bands on a single chip. It could finally allow Apple to build a truly global iPhone model that could support all implementations of the major cellular technologies used by carriers the world over...

Apple rumored to tap Qualcomm’s low-end Snapdragon chip for budget iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 25, 2013

The less-pricey iPhone rumor just wouldn't die. Today, Forbes reports that the Cupertino, California firm is likely to use Qualcomm's less powerful lower-end Snapdragon processor for the rumored budget iPhone thought to be targeted to price-sensitive shoppers in emerging markets like China, Brazil and elsewhere where carriers rarely subsidize handsets.

The story has it that such a device would not need the same kind of graphics, video and processing power as premium iPhones do and using Qualcomm's integrated solution could enable the company to integrate the CPU, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on a single chip rather than have three separate chips. As a result, Cook & Co. would be able to minimize costs, a necessity should Apple pursue the rumored $149 price point...

Samsung looks to China as Apple cuts chip orders

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Samsung is preparing for the day Apple - its rival and largest customer - stops placing orders with the South Korean corporation. Ahead of a CES keynote speech, a Samsung executive said it is looking to court Chinese smartphone makers which use the company's own Exynos-branded chips.

After a string of contentious court battles, Apple is planning to untangle itself from Samsung, finding new suppliers. Although Apple is expected to spend $80 billion with Samsung for everything from CPUs, flash memory and flat screens, the paycheck could shrink 80 percent by 2017, according to a Wall Street analysis...

Steve Ballmer crashes CES keynote and other Qualcomm tidbits

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 27, 2016

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn_XI3dU-kU

Though Microsoft passed on this year's CES keynote, that didn't stop the company's boss Steve Ballmer from making his trademark entrance to last night's keynote by Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs. His running out on stage wasn't on par with the previous bigger than life entrances and the now famous 'developers' chant and was in fact a prearranged surprise, but it's still kinda noteworthy. Ballmer basically praised Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors that power new Windows 8 and Windows Phone devices. Qualcomm made a number of announcements at the show and the company's keynote wasn't short on celebrities...

TSMC CEO insists US chip plant has nothing to do with Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 21, 2012

Apple has lately been rumored to have been moving some production lines to the United States amid whispers of a $10 billion silicon manufacturing facility being considered in the country. Various reports mention both New York and Oregon for this project, code-named Azalea.

And because of its reported $10 billion construction cost, there are some who suspect Project Azalea is a chip-making plant for Apple’s products aimed at replacing Samsung. Remember, the Galaxy maker semiconductor arm's $14 billion Austin, Texas facility exclusively churns out Apple-designed mobile chips that serve as the engine for the iPhone and iPad.

The rumor-mill has been adamant that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest independent semiconductor foundry, will run the upcoming US facility in co-operation with Apple, but now TSMC CEO has issued a somewhat weak denial...

Qualcomm comes to the rescue, invests $120M in Sharp to help advance IGZO panels

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 4, 2012

More good news for people keeping their fingers crossed for Sharp's IGZO panels appearing on iOS devices: Tuesday morning, The Wall Street Journal reported that chip maker Qualcomm has agreed to invest as much as ¥9.9 billion, or approximately $120.4 million, in "what is expected to be the first in a series of capital injections to shore up" Sharp's battered finances and advance its IGZO tech.

That's good news as Foxconn's and Apple's multi-billion dollar deals with Sharp appear to be going nowhere. Sharp's stock was downgraded to junk and the ailing Japanese consumer electronics maker is now trying to obtain investments from anyone, be it Apple, Intel, Foxconn or Qualcomm.

The launch of Sharp's awesome, albeit pricey, 32-inch 4K IGZO pro monitor and the introduction of its own tablet, the Aquos Pad SHT 21, which has a seven-inch IGZO display, both indicate yields are improving and so the likelihood of Apple re-considering IGZO panels in future iOS devices is now growing with each passing day...

New iPhone 5 logic board photo: A6 chip, Qualcomm LTE modem, Hynix flash

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 12, 2012

We're less than three hours away from Apple's big presser and, conveniently, a new high-quality photo surfaced alleging to represent the iPhone 5 logic board. From what can be gleaned, the board clearly shows an Apple-designed chip labeled "A6", in addition to other chips that indicate LTE world-phone functionality, also proving that Apple could indeed be reducing its dependency on fellow smartphone maker and frenemy Samsung, which supplies Cupertino with more than one-third of components that go inside the current-generation iPhone...

Poll: is the next iPhone going to be world-phone LTE compatible?

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 15, 2012

Less than four weeks from Apple's September 12 iPhone 5 event, U.S. carriers continue aggressive deployment of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology, making it all too easy to get carried away with the wonders of high-speed 4G networking on the next iPhone.

After all, 4G is thought to be one of the headline features of the device. On the other hand, this is going to be the first iPhone ever to have 4G, meaning some limitations and teething problems are likely to be expected, as is always the case with first-gen everything from Apple.

Regular users will probably assume that just because the next iPhone is 4G LTE, it's gonna work on whatever carrier's fourth-generation LTE network. That may not be the case and if the third-generation iPad is an indication, the iPhone 5 could disappoint some international users with limited support for LTE frequency bands.

That being said, we're asking you to take a long and hard look at the current state of technology and vote on the kind of LTE support you think the iPhone 5 will have...

Qualcomm, Broadcom and other suppliers reportedly readying chips for iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 15, 2012

With Apple's next-generation iPhone a no show at San Francisco's WWDC conference, a new report from Apple's supply chain in Asia has emerged, claiming that silicon providers left and right are lining up to supply the California-based company with various chips for the next iPhone...

Despite Qualcomm chip shortages, analyst says next iPhone will feature LTE

Cody Lee ∙ May 21, 2012

With all of the recent talk regarding the next-generation iPhone's display, the LTE rumors seem to have faded to the background. Maybe it's because folks are assuming that, after the third-gen iPad, the feature is a lock for Apple's next smartphone.

Gene Munster certainly seems to think so. PiperJaffray's senior Apple analyst told investors today that even though there has been some speculation that a Qualcomm chip shortage could affect Apple's upcoming handset, it will still ship with LTE compatibility...

Rumor: next iPhone likely to drop in October with new Qualcomm LTE chip

Cody Lee ∙ April 19, 2012

In a note to investors this morning, Piper Jaffray's senior Apple analyst Gene Munster said that Qualcomm is facing supply issues with its new 28-nanometer LTE chips. Munster believes that this cements an October launch date for Apple's next iPhone.

It's widely believed that the Cupertino company's next handset will feature the above-mentioned Qualcomm MDM9615 LTE chipset, as it allows for both voice and data connections over LTE networks. It's also smaller and much more power-efficient...

Apple and China Mobile negotiating iPhone deal

Jake Smith ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

Last night, it was announced that the iPhone 4S will be available on China's third-largest carrier, China Telecom, on March 9th. Apple has been aggressively attacking China and has been reaping off its benefits. To benefit iPhone sales even more, Apple is continuing to pursue adding more carriers to support the iPhone in China.

Reuters reports China's largest carrier, China Mobile, has been "aggressively negotiating" a deal with Apple, but some technical hurdles are holding back a launch for now...