Others who have pondered the issue disagree with your analysis. Consider the challenges facing Apple, who dropped a billion for Intel's modem business. Just look at the challenges Apple faces in the cellular radio business:
The “others who have pondered the issue” start out completely misunderstanding Apple’s 5G implementation strategy:
This begs a question of whether building modem technology in-house is a better investment than continuing to partner with Qualcomm to more quickly achieve parity with the competition, which has already delivered 5G devices.
Yikes. Where to start. First, it’s not either/or. Apple building their own 5G baseband chip is a multi-year effort, completely independent from their integration of Qualcomm’s upcoming second gen 5G modem. Apple has a multi-year supply agreement with Qualcomm, and will buy parts until they don’t need them, whether that’s 2022, 2025 or longer. Qualcomm will be only too happy to sell every modem Apple’s willing to buy.
But Apple never had any interest in Qualcomm’s first gen 5G battery killer, and is waiting on an appropriate Qualcomm part. The X55 has yet to ship in any smartphone.
However, that’s really not particularly relevant to my comment you quoted, which was directed at the RF front end, not the baseband modem.
Contrary to your conclusion, this article raises several factually valid reasons why it could be an enormous challenge -- engineering, technical, and financial -- for competitors to "come up with" "better components."
You mis-read my comment completely. As I already mentioned, I was clearly referencing the RF front end components. Though you chopped it from my post you quoted, I began that paragraph with: “Of course Qualcomm is pushing their RF front end solution, I’d expect nothing less.”
The article you quoted in an attempt to contradict me has absolutely zero to do with the RF front end. There are plenty of long-time suppliers of those components, and Apple has never used any of Qualcomm’s front end tech. (Apparently at least one iPhone will use Qualcomm’s mmWave antenna module.)
Though I’m sure Qualcomm would love to sell those components to Apple, Apple apparently has no interest in most of them, as they’ve chosen other suppliers.
