Apple Reportedly Mulls Adding 5G Connectivity to Macs

Apple may be planning to introduce cellular connectivity to its Mac computers as it seeks different use cases for its under-development in-house 5G modem. The iPhone maker reportedly plans to add a 5G modem to a Mac, but that model is unlikely to arrive before 2026 or even after that. Adding a 5G modem to a Mac could allow Apple to offer internet and other cellular services on its computers, which currently rely on options such as an iPhone's hotspot.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that Apple's first custom-built 5G could debut in early 2025. Being in development for years, the 5G modem will be integrated into the next iPhone SE, 2024 iPad, and even the iPhone 17 Air, which will be a part of 2025's flagship iPhone series. That gives Apple enough time to test its in-house 5G modem before it is ready to go inside other devices, such as iPhone Pro and iPad Pro models. If everything goes according to the plan, Apple may consider equipping its Mac with the modem. While that will likely not happen until 2026 or later, Gurman last year said Macs with cellular connectivity could arrive in 2028 at the earliest. The custom 5G modem will be integrated into Apple Silicon chips.

A 5G modem in a Mac would allow the device to offer cellular services. While calling could be an option, too, Apple is unlikely to enable that service and may just stick to internet connectivity through the modem. Gurman said Apple's first 5G modem could only offer sub-6GHz speeds, but its next generation may get support for mmWave technology, which the existing iPhone models already offer in the US. The custom-built 5G modem would allow Apple to minimise its reliance on Qualcomm, which supplies 5G modems for iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. The phasing out of Qualcomm's chips could happen similarly to how Apple phased out the Intel chips from its Macs.