News Apple's Modems Are Three Years Behind Qualcomm: Report

[Admin]

Report claims that Apple's modems do not meet its criteria.

Apple's Modems Are Three Years Behind Qualcomm: Report : Read more

 

[bit_user]

That's fascinating. I'm not an Apple watcher, but I wonder if the modem project had anything really to do with their main CPU/SoC development. I would assume (and it sort of sounds like) it was managed as a separate project.

My assumption about their CPU project is that they basically acquired PA Semi and gave them marching orders, but probably left them well enough alone to do what they knew how to do. Not sure if that's right, but it's how I think most successful acquisitions play out.

If either Intel's modem group didn't have viable products, or they were glommed onto an existing project, to try and save it (as the timing would seem to suggest), then it's not surprising that the project didn't work out well.

some managers even discouraged engineers from sharing negative updates, leading to unrealistic targets and missed deadlines.

This is the real kicker. Pretty much spells death, for any kind of ambitious project.

 

[Drazen]

One thing is developing digital SoC and completely different is analog, RF modem.
Apple got their CPUs thanks to people who fled Intel and later fled Apple to create Nuvia, now Qualcomm.
But to create a 5G modem you must have competent people in every area. And, as we see, Intel was not competent enough.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I saw this book sitting on someone's desk at work and had a look at it on a curiosity

Yeah 5G is no joke. And that book is meant to cover the basics.

 

[Co BIY]

Taking a struggling project then acquiring a failed division of a frenemy corporation on the cheap to glom onto it doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

 

[Pei-chen]

A company with the largest war chest in history and exclusive access to TSMC’s 3nm process cannot built even an standalone 5G model while Huawei, under sanctions by effectively the whole NATO, can integrate 5G modem and dual band satellite communication into its homegrown SoC.

Not sure what kind of engineers Apple got but they are overpaid

 

[bit_user]

A company with the largest war chest in history and exclusive access to TSMC’s 3nm process cannot built even an standalone 5G model

That's actually not as uncommon as you might think. Given a lot of largess and resources, it's possible for organizations to be very inefficient. Larger organizations also tend to be more bureaucratic.

while Huawei, under sanctions by effectively the whole NATO, can integrate 5G modem and dual band satellite communication into its homegrown SoC.

Their IP isn't new, AFAIK. I think that's based on the same IP they were using pre-sanctions.