Intel may be inside your next iPhone

According to a new published report, Intel is said to be developing a system-on-chip (SoC) specifically for Apple iPhone 7. For this Intel has deployed over a thousand people working on the Intel 7360 LTE modem for the next generation of Apple iPhones.

The report states that the Intel 7360 LTE modem, which supports 4G LTE and 3G CDMA networks, could arrive on the new gen of iPhones. Intel's 7360 LTE modem chip features up to 450MB/s downlink and it supports 29 LTE bands. The Intel modem chip is said to be used on some of the iPhone 7 models, instead of Qualcomm, which the company has been using for years. 

Apple may dual-source the LTE modems in its new iPhones from both Intel and Qualcomm, like its A9 chip (Samsung and TSMC) added the report.

Apple and Intel is yet to officially confirm the partnership. As of now both companies have exchanged words and work is already underway. Apple will be sending some of its engineers to work with Intel. Apple would design the SoC, which could carry an Apple branding, and would license the LTE modem intellectual property from Intel for SoC. 

The latest Apple's smartphone, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have A9 Chips inside, manufactured by TSMC and Samsung, while Qualcomm's 9X45 LTE chip has been the modem of Apple iPhones.

Few years ago Infineon, a German semiconductor company who supplied the iPhone with 3G modems before it was acquired by Intel in 2011 and Apple made Qualcomm its modem supplier.

Apple's end goal is to have a future system-on-chip (SoC) capable of holding both the processor and the LTE modem on a single small, fast, and power efficient component. If all goes well the fabrication of these chips can fall into Intel's hand.

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