Qualcomm’s grip weakens as big players look elsewhere for 5G modems

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Credit: Ryan Haines / Android Authority


Android Authority’s latest Pixel leak reveals that, given its choice, Google isn’t opting for Samsung or Qualcomm to build the modem in its upcoming Pixel 10 smartphone. No, it’s chosen MediaTek as its next radio partner, specifically the as-yet-unannounced T900 modem. In related news, Apple is reportedly gearing up to drop Snapdragon in its upcoming iPhone SE 4 and possibly some iPads in 2025, with plans to replace Qualcomm entirely as soon as 2027. Two major household electronics brands are looking at options outside of the US baseband giant in the next couple of years.

Both companies may have slightly different motives, but the loss of Apple will be acutely painful for the US’s biggest 5G phone silicon supplier. It’s worth pointing out that Apple’s iPhone commands over half the US market share at recent counts. Combined with powering Samsung Galaxy flagships in the US, Qualcomm’s modems are currently found in a considerable number of flagship phones in its home country — not to mention the rest of the world, where iPhones and Chinese Android flagships sell in abundance.




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