While Apple has their own processor in the form of the A-series, they still rely on other companies to make their LTE modems. So far it has been Qualcomm who has supplied the Cupertino company with the components and according to the rumors, it is expected that Qualcomm will continue supplying the LTE modems for this year’s iPhones.
However according to a new rumor, word has it that come 2017, Intel is said to be supplying Apple with LTE modems. Now 2017 is a couple of years away and for all we know, things could easily change between now and then. However it does seem to corroborate an earlier rumor which also suggested that Intel could provide LTE modems to Apple.
The earlier report, however, claimed that these modems will be present in 2016’s models which we can only assume is the iPhone 7, while this new report suggests 2017 which assuming Apple keeps to their traditional naming scheme, will be the iPhone 7s. It should also be noted that these are just for the modems.
This is not a change in processor as Apple is expected to continue using their own ARM-based A-series chipsets. It is unclear if the rumored Intel modems will impact the performance of the phones in terms of LTE speeds, but it will be an interesting direction for Apple to be heading at.