Qualcomm Announces Renewed Agreement With Apple

Qualcomm today announced the renewal of its global patent licensing agreement with Apple, effective April 1, 2027. No further details were provided. This patent agreement is separate from Qualcomm's agreement to supply Apple with cellular modems for smartphone launches through 2026, so we expect Apple's transition to its own custom-designed modems to continue. Among the latest iPhone models, only the U.S. version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max still has a Qualcomm modem. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo are equipped with Apple's C2 modem worldwide, as is the iPhone 18 Pro Max in all countries beyond the U.S., while cellular models of the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air use Apple's previous-generation C1X modem. Popular StoriesApple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One WaySaturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by Joe RossignolAs noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...iPhone 18 Pro Max in U.S. Has Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 ModemFriday September 18, 2026 12:41 pm PDT by Joe RossignolTechInsights has published an iPhone 18 Pro Max teardown that confirms the U.S. version of the device is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem. The device's modem firmware had already pointed towards the Snapdragon X80 modem. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo use Apple's custom-designed C2 modem worldwide, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the C2 modem in every other...Qualcomm Raising Chip Prices Starting TomorrowMonday August 31, 2026 4:39 pm PDT by Juli CloverQualcomm is increasing prices for its chips by double digits starting tomorrow. Qualcomm announced the impending price hike back in July, letting customers know prices would go up for chips shipped after September 1. Qualcomm said it cannot continue to absorb increasing supplier costs. "We're just passing through big cost increases that we have," said Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon in an...