Apple made no mistake in the 5G modem chip. Ming-Chi Kuo, the most authoritative analyst in predicting future news coming from Apple, believes that the first 5G modem chip designed by the Cupertino multinational is late due to errors in the development process.
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Conversely, according to Florian Muller, one of the leading experts in patent and trademark law, the postponement is not due to a mistake by Apple, but to the intricate legal issues that oblige Apple and Qualcomm to each other.
The complications are due both to the peace and collaboration agreement between Apple and Qualcomm for the supply of 5G modem chips for the iPhone and beyond, and to the previous and intricate legal battle over rights and royalties that for the moment lies dormant, but which it could flare up again in the next few years.
In the past few hours in the United States, the news that the US Supreme Court will not listen to Apple’s appeal to reopen and relaunch the patent legal battle against Qualcomm has gone quietly. According to overseas observers, the choice of the Supreme Court is in line with the will of the White House, which perhaps prefers to avoid a clash between two of its most important technology giants at a time of great concern for the US and global economy.
Under the deadlines of the ongoing agreements between Apple and Qualcomm, the legal battle could reignite in 2025 or 2027, in the latter case if Apple decides to extend the duration of the original contract. But Florian Muller predicts that the duel between Apple and Qualcomm could even rekindle in several years, until 2029, when the disputed patents expire.
This means that, barring twists and turns, we will have to wait a little longer before we can see the first Apple 5G modem chip in action inside an iPhone, replacing the historic component supplied by Qualcomm.
According to some observers, Muller’s denial indicates that Ming Chi Kuo is perhaps losing connections and contacts that in all these years have allowed him to access first-hand information on the news coming from Apple, but this is definitely a bit too early to to be able to say with certainty.
