Qualcomm’s Chief Executive Cristiano Amon thinks that the company is well-placed to launch an Apple M1-rivalling chip by next year, per a Reuters report. Ironically, that’s largely thanks to Apple.
Qualcomm had earlier bought a company that was founded by Apple engineers
Earlier this year, Qualcomm acquired Nuvia, a chip startup founded by former Apple engineers. The company plans to incorporate Nuvia’s tech into its flagship smartphone, laptop, and networking chips.Nuvia’s three main founders – Gerard Williams III, Manu Gulati, and John Bruno – have previously worked for Apple and Google in key roles. Apple had filed a case against Williams for using its resources to work on Nuvia’s technology.
And now, Qualcomm has confirmed that it’s planning to launch a new custom chip for laptop makers next year. The company says it’s going to be the ‘best chip on the market,’ and that Nuvia is key to this ambition.
Qualcomm pretends it doesn’t care about Apple’s in-house modem
Taking a subtle dig at Apple, which seemingly plans to replace Qualcomm’s modem in iPhones by 2023, Amon said that rivals won’t be able to replicate his company’s years of design experience.
He also believes that Qualcomm will benefit from Huawei’s precarious position in China. The Chinese company is struggling to find components needed for smartphones and is now a shadow of its former self.
Some of Qualcomm’s biggest clients, such as Xiaomi, are key players in China.
