Apples In-House Wi-Fi 7 Chip: Targeting Broadcom and Consolidating Apples Ecosystem

Apples In-House Wi-Fi 7 Chip: Targeting Broadcom and Consolidating Apples EcosystemAs the technology industry continues to evolve, smartphone manufacturers are increasingly embracing in-house development, aiming to lower costs, enhance product quality through independent research and development, and bolster their market competitiveness. As a technology giant, Apple has long been a staunch advocate of this approach

Apples In-House Wi-Fi 7 Chip: Targeting Broadcom and Consolidating Apples Ecosystem

As the technology industry continues to evolve, smartphone manufacturers are increasingly embracing in-house development, aiming to lower costs, enhance product quality through independent research and development, and bolster their market competitiveness. As a technology giant, Apple has long been a staunch advocate of this approach. Recent reports suggest that Apple is planning to incorporate its own Wi-Fi 7 chip into the iPhone 17 series, slated for release in the second half of 2025, marking a significant stride in its chip development endeavors.

According to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip will be manufactured using TSMC's N7 process. This revelation signifies that Apple will further reduce its dependence on chip suppliers like Broadcom, thereby reinforcing the integration of its ecosystem. Currently, almost all iPhone models are equipped with Wi-Fi chips supplied by Broadcom, with the company shipping over 300 million Wi-Fi + Bluetooth chips to Apple annually. The introduction of an in-house Wi-Fi 7 chip will inevitably pose a considerable challenge to Broadcom, particularly impacting its supply chain.

It's noteworthy that news of Apple's plans to design its own Wi-Fi chips first emerged in 2021, indicating that this project has been in development for a substantial period. After several years of dedicated effort, Apple is now on the cusp of realizing this goal. Although the consumer-facing advantages of Apple's designed Wi-Fi chip remain unclear at present, this initiative undoubtedly strengthens Apple's capacity for self-reliance in hardware components, further cementing its leadership position in the tech landscape.

The application of Wi-Fi 7 technology will also present users with faster network speeds and more stable connectivity experiences. Wi-Fi 7 boasts a peak transmission speed of 46 Gbps, nearly five times faster than Wi-Fi 6, while supporting a wider range of frequency bands, including 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz. However, it's crucial to note that the availability of the 6GHz band supported by Wi-Fi 7 may vary across different regions due to differing frequency allocation practices.

Beyond its self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip, Apple plans to transition all its products to its own Wi-Fi chips within the next three years. This strategy underscores Apple's proactive approach to independent chip development, recognizing it as a pivotal strategic element for future growth.

Previously, Apple announced its intention to develop in-house 5G modem chips, with plans to introduce devices featuring these chips, including the new iPhone SE and a tentatively named iPhone 17 Air model, next year. Coupled with the launch of the self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip, future Apple iPhones will boast a greater number of self-designed core technologies, potentially transforming the evolution of the products themselves.

It's worth mentioning that the current iOS 18 operating system is also quite ambitious. This year, the download and installation rate of iOS 18.1 was twice that of iOS 17.1 during the same period. This surge in adoption can be attributed to the newly introduced Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 18.1, which is actively driving users to upgrade to the latest system and serves as a key selling point.

Aside from in-house chip development and operating system upgrades, rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 series will come standard with a 120Hz refresh rate, further enriching user experiences.

However, the introduction of Apple's self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip inevitably presents considerable pressure for the iPhone 16. According to research data released by Counterpoint Research, the iPhone 16 series failed to achieve the sales figures of last year's iPhone 15 series within the first four weeks of release. To address this challenge, Apple must continuously innovate and enhance product quality to captivate the attention of more consumers and drive purchases.

In conclusion, the launch of Apple's self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip signifies another crucial step in its independent chip development journey. This initiative will amplify Apple's self-reliance in hardware components, solidifying its leading position in the tech industry and delivering faster network speeds and more stable connection experiences for users. However, the stability aspect requires ongoing observation, and we eagerly await the real-world performance of Apple's self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip.