We recently received news that MediaTek will be shipping the Wi-Fi chips for the next-gen Apple Homepod that’s to be released next year. The Apple MediaTek partnership states that the latter will build the ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) chips with the help of a 7mm processor at TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company). This will further boost the sales momentum of TSMC’s 7mm segment.
It’s worth a refresher that MediaTek supplies comparable ASICs for some of the most popular smart speaker products, like Google Assistant, Amazon Echo, and Alibaba T-mall Genie. Other reports are circulating that the Taiwanese chipmaker intends to secure deals for Apple’s CDMA, modem and wireless charging chips.
Now, in the middle of the Apple-Qualcomm legal brawl, the former is looking to procure modems from MediaTek for 2018 iPhones. One of the reports tells us that Apple already transferred half modem chipsets of iPhones from Qualcomm to Intel. Therefore, MediaTek’s new deal will see the chipmaker join forces with Intel to back Apple in supplying modems.
A DigiTimes report reveals the three chief principles of Apple expected from its suppliers: they should provide leading technological competitiveness, should possess comprehensive product blueprints, and require reliable logistic support. The report further suggests that MediaTek meets all of these criteria. In addition, MediaTek even is capable enough to provide magnitude and pricing benefits for supplying modems for iPhones.
Coming back to the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm, MediaTek’s deal fuels the possibility of Apple in completely dropping Qualcomm as the supply partner. Although, we see light in the matter that Apple and Qualcomm will find the common ground, despite their differences ideally established this far. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how things turn out finally.
