Apple to equip iPhone 17 with its own Wi-Fi 7 chip

Apple to equip iPhone 17 with its own Wi-Fi 7 chipAccording to renowned Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, at least one model in the iPhone 17 series, slated to launch next year, will feature a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple itself. This news implies that Apple will be ending its long-standing partnership with Broadcom and taking a significant step forward in the wireless connectivity realm

Apple to equip iPhone 17 with its own Wi-Fi 7 chip

According to renowned Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, at least one model in the iPhone 17 series, slated to launch next year, will feature a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple itself. This news implies that Apple will be ending its long-standing partnership with Broadcom and taking a significant step forward in the wireless connectivity realm.

Currently, all iPhone models utilize a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo chip provided by Broadcom. However, Kuo predicts that Apple will gradually equip nearly all of its products with self-developed Wi-Fi chips within the next three years. He believes this move will effectively reduce Apple's component costs while further enhancing the integration of Apple's hardware and software.

Although all four iPhone 16 models support Wi-Fi 7 through Broadcom chips, the specifications are limited and do not support the full 320MHz bandwidth. Kuo states that Apple's internally developed Wi-Fi 7 chip will support the latest specifications and be manufactured using TSMC's 7-nanometer process (N7).

Wi-Fi 7 technology boasts the ability to transmit data across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously using supported routers, resulting in faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. Compared to existing Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7's peak speed can be increased fourfold, exceeding 40 Gbps.

Apple's self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip will offer numerous advantages. Firstly, it will allow Apple to better control the integration of its hardware and software, enhancing product performance and user experience. Secondly, the self-developed chip will enable Apple to more flexibly optimize its devices power management and thermal control. Additionally, the self-developed chip will help Apple lower component costs and maintain its price advantage in a competitive market.

Apple has not yet disclosed further details regarding its Wi-Fi 7 chip, but the news has already sparked widespread interest within and outside the industry. If Apple successfully implements its self-developed Wi-Fi 7 chip in the iPhone 17, it will signify a major breakthrough in Apple's wireless connectivity efforts and deliver faster, more stable, and efficient mobile network experiences for consumers.