[News] Apple Watch Ultra Reportedly Chooses Taiwan’s MediaTek for 5G Modems in Landmark Supply Win

With Apple’s Sept. 9 event set to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, the new Apple Watch is also drawing attention. According to Economic Daily News, Taiwan’s MediaTek will supply 5G modem chips for the next-generation smartwatch—a milestone as Apple adopts its 5G modem products for the first time.

As previously reported by Bloomberg, Apple’s move to replace Intel’s cellular modems with MediaTek products further reduces its reliance on Team Blue, which once supplied processors for the Mac lineup. Bloomberg noted this also marks the first time Apple is adopting a major component from MediaTek, a supplier it has evaluated for over five years.

According to the Economic Daily News, MediaTek’s discrete 5G modem chips, based on the company’s low-power RedCap (Reduced Capability) technology and equipped with satellite connectivity, are reportedly already in mass production, with shipments expected to ramp up through year-end.

Analysts cited by the report estimate annual Apple Watch shipments at over 30 million units, giving Apple more than half the global smartwatch market. To meet strong demand, MediaTek has allocated production for at least 5 million modem chips, with capacity to add more if orders exceed supply, according to the Economic Daily News.

However, according to the report, the chips are expected to appear only in the high-end Apple Watch Ultra, which will debut 5G and satellite connectivity, while the other models will continue using 4G LTE.

Notably, this is not MediaTek’s first Apple collaboration. According to the Economic Daily News, the company already supplies power management ICs through its affiliate Richtek, and expanding further into Apple’s ecosystem has long been a strategic goal. Today, MediaTek stands as one of the few IC design houses—alongside Qualcomm, Huawei, and Samsung—capable of independently developing 5G modem chips, the report adds.

Apple Pushes Chip Self-Sufficiency

Apple’s move to diversify its major silicon suppliers reflects its broader strategy of chip self-development. As Reuters reported, Apple unveiled its first custom-designed modem chip in February, aimed at connecting iPhones to wireless data networks and reducing reliance on Qualcomm chips, which also power its Android competitors. The modem is part of Apple’s new C1 subsystem, a collection of key components that includes processors and memory, the report noted.

Reuters pointed out that for years, Apple sourced modems from Qualcomm. However, after a lengthy legal battle, the Cupertino-based company settled with Qualcomm and signed new supply agreements in 2019, following failed attempts by alternatives like Intel to deliver a viable modem. But with its self-developed C1, Apple now says it has developed an advanced chip that will serve as the foundation of its modem platform for years to come, the report suggests.

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(Photo credit: Apple)