Intel Quiet on Report Its 5G Modem Chips Won't Appear in Smartphones Until 2020

Apple chip modem supplier Intel told Reuters Friday its 5G modem chip won’t appear in smartphones until next year. At Mobile World Congress, starting Monday in Barcelona, 5G phones will be announced or teased. Samsung announced plans to deliver a 5G phone in Q2 (see 1902200065). While Apple is Intel’s major customer for modem chips, the phone maker has reportedly had talks with chipmakers Samsung and MediaTek about 5G modem chips for iPhones to be released this year, and the company reportedly moved modem engineering into the division that makes its proprietary processor chips. Intel and Apple didn’t comment.