
Qualcomm expects that its contract with Apple won’t be renewed.
For over 15 years, Qualcomm’s modem chips powered Apple’s iPhones, enabling wireless connectivity to cellular networks. Analysts estimated that Apple paid over $2.5 billion in 2024 alone for Qualcomm’s patent licenses, while the company’s annual modem revenue from Apple is said to be between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, in an appearance on Yahoo Finance‘s Opening Bid podcast, spotted by 9to5mac, revealed that the modem company is prepared to look well beyond the iPhone. Qualcomm’s plans are based on the assumption that Apple will continue to use in-house modems going forward, meaning that the chipmaker will have to explore alternative avenues.