According to The Information, Apple is actively developing its own cellular modem and will be used in future iPhone models. For several months, the company has been actively recruiting engineers in San Diego, where the Wireless Architecture team is located. However, due to the complexity of the wireless modems, we may not see an iPhone with its own-designed cellular moderns until 2021.
Furthermore, considering there were reports stated the fact that Apple will launch its first 5G-enabled iPhone in 2020 featured with Intel modems, so the first iPhone with in-house designed cellular modern is highly thought to be available in 2021. This allows Apple to further reduce reliance on chipmakers like Intel and Qualcomm, especially Apple is in a patent battle with the latter.
Furthermore, considering there were reports stated the fact that Apple will launch its first 5G-enabled iPhone in 2020 featured with Intel modems, so the first iPhone with in-house designed cellular modern is highly thought to be available in 2021. This allows Apple to further reduce reliance on chipmakers like Intel and Qualcomm, especially Apple is in a patent battle with the latter.
[...]And a person briefed on Apple’s plans confirmed that the company, indeed, has an an active project to build its own cellular modem chip, which connects Apple’s phones to the networks of wireless carriers. Due to the complexity of the chip, it could take Apple as long as three years to ship iPhones with them, analysts said.The plan could eventually benefit users since it designed the best industrial-leading A-series processor, T-series coprocessor, S-series processor, and W-series wireless chip for its wide range of products, so I would expect them to design one of the most powerful cellular modern ever.