Qualcomm Plans Licensing Push Amid Apple’s Modem Independence

Tim Cook may have hinted at the release date of the iPhone SE 4, likely launching on February 19 via Apple’s website. The upcoming budget iPhone is expected to resemble the iPhone 14, featuring a 6.1-inch edge-to-edge OLED display, the signature notch, Face ID, gesture navigation, and a single 48MP rear camera enhanced by computational photography for top-tier image quality.

The major highlight is Apple’s shift to its in-house 5G modem, debuting with the SE 4. Under the hood, the device will sport the advanced 3nm A18 chip instead of the A15 Bionic (5nm) from the iPhone 14. Additionally, Apple is increasing the RAM to 8GB (up from 6GB in the iPhone 14) to bolster support for its Apple Intelligence AI initiative.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International, the iPhone SE 4 is on track to surpass all previous SE models in sales, from the original SE to 2022's SE 3. Kuo estimates that Apple will ship around 12 million units in the first half of this year and another 10 million in the second half, totaling 22 million units-enough to set a new record for the SE lineup, albeit by a narrow margin.

Kuo also noted an interesting shift: with Apple transitioning to its own modem in the SE 4 and upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, Qualcomm will lose revenue as its 5G modem is replaced in Apple devices. To compensate, Qualcomm reportedly plans to scrutinize its modem patents, hoping to find licensing opportunities that would require Apple to pay fees to offset the loss of modem sales revenue.