Back in 2008, Steve Jobs said that Apple had thought about adding a 3G modem to its laptops to give them wireless capabilities without needing a Wi-Fi connection. Yet the company eventually gave up on the idea because the chips would take up too much space inside Apple’s famously tightly packed laptops. For years, the idea seemed dead in the water.
Now, it could finally come to fruition 20 years after Jobs’ candid claim. It’s a remarkable turn of events and could bring numerous benefits to MacBook users.
This idea has been put forward by Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter. There, Gurman explains that Apple is planning to bring its in-house modem chip — first demonstrated in the recent iPhone 16e — to other Apple devices over the next few years. That would almost certainly include some of the best MacBooks, and if it does, it could bring a host of benefits.
As someone who uses a MacBook every day, I’m excited about what this might mean for Apple’s laptops over the next few years. If you’re someone like me, it might even be a reason to upgrade.
Bring on the benefits
The most obvious advantage of adding a modem chip to the MacBook is that it would allow you to get wireless internet connectivity wherever you are, even without a Wi-Fi connection. That’s perfect for working on the go and is also ideal for helping you avoid the security risks of using unsecured public Wi-Fi in places like cafes and bars.
And there’s another key benefit that we can ascertain by looking at the iPhone 16e. There, Apple touted the battery boost its C1 chip brought to the phone, describing it as “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone.”
This has helped the iPhone 16e get better battery life than the iPhone 16, and there’s no reason not to expect similar battery life increases in the MacBook. The MacBook is already one of the best laptops for battery life, so this move could further cement its excellence.
I also wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see MacBook performance improvements as a result of the introduction of Apple’s wireless chip. After all, better efficiency might mean better chip output thanks to the reduced energy being required for cooling. I’m not expecting the modem’s performance contributions to be huge — most of the uptick will come from changes to the Apple silicon CPU and GPU — but even a slight gain here would be welcome.
Worth the wait
Despite all that, Apple’s modem chips are not a panacea for the MacBook. For one thing, Gurman believes that the wireless performance of the C1 might not be on par with the Qualcomm chip it replaced. We’ll have to wait for in-depth testing to confirm or deny that, but if true, it might explain why Apple didn’t make a huge fuss over the C1 when it announced the iPhone 16e.
That said, the MacBook isn’t actually expected to get the C1. Instead, we’ll have to wait a few years before we see the first Apple-made MacBook modem make its first appearance. If you don’t plan on upgrading for a while, that might not be much of a problem, but it means a delay for everyone else.
When will we see it? Well, Gurman thinks the Mac will get Apple’s in-house modem “in 2028 at the earliest.” Evidently there are a few things for the company to iron out before that happens, and really, I’m not too surprised — after all, Apple has reportedly been working on the iPhone’s 5G chip for at least six years after buying Intel’s modem business in 2019.
If Apple sticks with its annual product upgrades, I’d expect the first MacBook modem chip to be the C4. By then, Apple might have overtaken the capabilities of Qualcomm’s modems. That certainly seems to be Gurman’s opinion, as the reporter believes Apple will surpass Qualcomm when the C3 chip debuts. That suggests that the C4 could be even better than anything Qualcomm can serve up, making 2028 the perfect time to bring a modem chip to MacBooks.
The only frustrating part of this whole situation is the wait that MacBook fans will have on their hands for 5G connectivity. I know that these things take time to get right, especially if you’re a company with strong perfectionist tendencies like Apple. But given all the benefits, I’d love to see a 5G MacBook drop this year.
Still, it’s good to know that it’s in the pipeline. The wait might be a test of my patience, but I’m confident that it’ll be worth it.