Intel says 5G plans for iPhone are unchanged

Following yesterday's report from the Israeli CTech publication that Apple decided not to use an Intel 5G modem called "Sunny Peak" in future iPhones, Intel denied part of the report. .

"The commitments and roadmap of Intel's 5G customers have not changed between 2018 and 2020," said a spokesperson at VentureBeat. "We remain faithful to our 5G plans and projects." When asked if this meant that Apple was a customer for an Intel 5G modem, the spokesman only said that "the part of the Intel 5G modem is inaccurate."

The updated report explains that Sunny Peak was not actually a 5G modem, and did not – as originally claimed – combine 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on a single chip. On the contrary, the unannounced component is only a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combined, and should include WiGig 802.11ad Wi-Fi support, but has encountered some engineering problems. Internal communications reviewed by CTech suggested that Intel stopped working on the chip and rebadigned its team to other projects because Apple had to be the main buyer.

Intel's relationship with Apple has sparked keen interest in recent months, as Cupertino's plans for modems and Intel processors have remained in a state of flux. Apple would have considered MediaTek as a replacement 5G modem provider for Intel, and would also move its Macs away from Intel processors for self-developed chips over the next few years.

However, Apple still uses Intel parts in its devices – for the time being – and would continue to increase its use of Intel modems in this year's iPhones. The secret company does not generally comment on its relationships with component vendors and often prevents these vendors from discussing their contracts with Apple.