Bloomberg: Apple ‘investigating’ bringing cellular to the Mac for the first time

Chance Miller | Dec 6 2024 - 12:07 pm PT

Earlier today, Bloomberg detailed Apple’s multi-year plan to ditch Qualcomm and debut its own modem technology in the iPhone and iPad.

In a follow-up report this afternoon, Bloomberg says that Apple is also “investigating the idea of bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac for the first time” as part of these efforts.

Apple is expected to debut the first version of its cellular modem next year in the iPhone SE 4, the iPhone 17 Air, and the base model iPad. The following year, it will debut a higher-end version of the chip with faster 5G connectivity for the iPhone 18 Pro.

As part of this transition, Apple is also investigating bringing cellular to the Mac as soon as 2026:

With its own modem in the pipeline, Apple is investigating the idea of bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac for the first time. That means users wouldn’t need Wi-Fi to get online. To date, that capability has been reserved for the iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad. But cellular connections are unlikely to come to the Mac before 2026, when Apple is planning a second-generation modem that includes support for faster speeds.

Also in consideration is a cellular-equipped version of the Vision Pro:

The company is also discussing bringing cellular support to headsets, including future models of the Vision Pro. Someday, the technology may also be used in lightweight augmented reality glasses, though such a device is years away.

Check out our coverage from earlier today for more details on Apple’s modem plans.

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