Apple will embed self-made Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips inside the iPhone 17, claims a new leak. The company could fully transition to in-house wireless communication hardware within the next three years.
Apple wants to make WiFi and Bluetooth chips
Apple has always preferred to design and control every aspect of its products. This includes the processor, memory, GPU, and other tech. However, Apple has struggled with the hardware needed for wireless networks.
The latest Apple iPhone 16 models are out. These feature Apple’s own SoC (System on a Chip). But they do not pack Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controllers designed by Apple.
Apple currently relies primarily on Broadcom for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, claims analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. But the company has plans to use an in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip in next year’s iPhone 17 line, the tipster added.
Broadcom currently supplies over 300 million Wi-Fi+BT chips (hereafter referred to as Wi-Fi chips) per year to Apple. However, Apple will rapidly reduce its reliance on Broadcom. With new products in 2H25 (e.g., iPhone 17), Apple plans to use its own Wi-Fi chips, which will be…
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) October 31, 2024
Will Apple start embedding self-made Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips from iPhone 17?
Kuo claimed Apple’s products arriving in the second half of 2025 would start featuring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips designed by Apple. Apple has tasked TSMC to manufacture its latest SoCs embedded inside the iPhone 16 series of iOS smartphones. Kuo claims TSMC will manufacture Apple’s self-designed wireless communication chips on its N7 process.
These chips would support the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard. If the prediction is true, the upcoming iPhone devices would be able to collate 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. This usually translates to higher speed and lower latency.
Starting from 2H25, both Apple’s 5G and Wi-Fi chips will gradually be used in new products simultaneously. However, since these are two different chips (using different TSMC processes), the early switch-over timelines will differ due to separate production schedules. For example,…
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) October 31, 2024
It is not immediately clear which Apple devices will get the new in-house developed Wi-Fi + Bluetooth chips first. Previous reports have suggested the iPhone SE 4, which is reportedly expected in the first half of 2025.
Kuo claimed that Apple’s 5G and Wi-Fi chips will be two separate chips. This means Apple’s in-house 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth chips could debut in the new Apple Watch or iPad models before making their way to the iPhone 17.
