A report from Economic News Daily states that MediaTek won Wi-Fi 7 chip orders from a ‘leading American tablet brand,’ threatening Broadcom’s monopoly in the process. Given that Apple is the most dominant player in the tablet market at this time, the report is probably referring to the Silicon Valley giant, but an analyst does not believe that the Taiwanese fabless chip maker has received any orders from Apple. Regardless, MediaTek is still expected to supply those Wi-Fi chips, but not in the tablet category.
MediaTek to start supplying Apple with Wi-Fi chips for peripherals and the Apple TV, starting in 2025
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo puts the rumor to rest that MediaTek has not received any Wi-Fi chip orders for Apple’s iPad range, implying that the Cupertino firm’s partnership with Broadcom remains unbroken for now. However, Kuo does state that MediaTek has won some orders, but they are for Apple products with a low Wi-Fi specification, ranging from peripherals and devices that need to be plugged in, such as the Apple TV. The TF International Securities analyst also notes that shipments of these chips are said to happen as early as 2025 or 2026.
MediaTek also mass manufactures 5G modems, but Apple has never partnered with the company for its basebands in any product, based on the recent renewal of the licensing agreement with Qualcomm, which has been extended for three additional years. Apple may prefer to maintain a monopolistic business relationship with Broadcom and Qualcomm, knowing that it is a bad deal, just for the sake of procuring reliable and high-quality parts for several products that do not compromise on performance and have a wide range of compatibility.
https://twitter.com/mingchikuo/status/1735524351947272613
MediaTek receiving Wi-Fi chip orders for peripherals and the Apple TV is still a positive outcome, as it means that if the company can prove to Apple that it is a reliable supply chain partner, it can win orders for the more premium devices such as the iPhone, iPad, MacBook and more. However, that might take a while, and by then, Apple may have successfully developed its in-house 5G modem, which is slated to launch in late 2025 or early 2026.
News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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