Apple Acquires Majority of Intel’s Smartphone Modem Business
Intel and Apple have signed an agreement for Apple to acquire the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business.
The agreement entails that nearly 2,200 Intel employees will join Apple, along with intellectual property, equipment and leases. The transaction, valued at $1 billion, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019.
“This agreement enables us to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology that our team has created,” said Intel CEO Bob Swan.
Combining the acquired patents for current and future wireless technology with Apple’s existing portfolio, Apple will hold over 17,000 wireless technology patents, ranging from protocols for cellular standards to modem architecture and modem operation. Intel will retain the option to develop modems for non-smartphone applications, such as PCs, internet of things devices and autonomous vehicles.
“We’re looking forward to putting our full effort into 5G where it most closely aligns with the needs of our global customer base, including network operators, telecommunications equipment manufacturers and cloud service providers,” added Swan.
Apple said that together with the engineers and their significant acquisition of innovative IP, will help expedite the company’s development on future products and allow Apple to further differentiate moving forward.
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