A series of custom connectivity chips will be introduced to various Apple products in 2025, making it the first time that the technology giant will dive into mass producing Wi-Fi and 5G silicon for its devices. A new report states that next year, the Cupertino giant could reduce dependency on companies like Broadcom by unveiling its in-house solution, but there is still a possibility of some delay happening.
There is a minute possibility that the Wi-Fi chips will arrive for the new iPad models in 2026 when the iPhone 18 series launches
A report from DigiTimes that was spotted by MacRumors mentions the use of custom Wi-Fi chips for iPad models in 2025. Unfortunately, the details do not specify which exact model will be treated to these parts, but since the ‘low cost’ iPhone SE 4 has been reported on multiple occasions to feature a home-grown 5G modem, we can assume that those Wi-Fi chips will arrive for affordable iPad options too.
The current-generation iPad 10 is equipped with a Wi-Fi 6 adapter, so while the report does not state how capable Apple’s custom solution will be, it is possible that we can witness speeds equivalent to the Wi-Fi 6E standard next year. However, insiders from the company’s supply chain have suggested that these iPad models could be delayed to 2026 when the iPhone 18 series arrives, so let us keep our fingers crossed for the announcement.
In terms of consumer benefit, just like the custom 5G modem, we doubt an in-house Wi-Fi chip will bring any advantages to the table other than give Apple greater control over the hardware. This may lead to the company tweaking it better for a slight boost in battery life. Besides that, we do not see any perks for going down this route. Ultimately, Apple’s intended goal is to reduce reliance on every wireless chip provider as it does not just have plans to go solo, but it looks to introduce a single custom package that houses the 5G modem, along with a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip.
Sadly, as you can tell, the company has hit a ton of development snags along the way, but slowly and steady steps have allowed Apple to develop its first 5G modem, and with the Wi-Fi chips coming to select iPad models in 2025, perhaps we will witness this solution getting added to future iPhones too.
News Source: DigiTimes
