Apple Watch on track for LTE to 5G upgrade with modem change expected

The Apple Watch has had optional cellular capability since the Apple Watch Series 3 launched in 2017. However, connectivity has remained 4G LTE while the smartphone market has moved to 5G. That may finally change with the upcoming Apple Watch models.

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Apple is planning to switch modem suppliers and bring the Apple Watch to 5G for the first time, according to reliable Mark Gurman. The details are part of an exclusive Bloomberg report detailing an upcoming satellite feature possibly planned for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

“The move to MediaTek will also include support for 5G Redcap, a low-end 5G service designed for internet-connected devices and wearables that typically don’t require fast data connections,” Gurman reports. “The current Apple Watch uses 4G LTE and has never moved to the 5G standard, despite Apple’s move to the iPhone in 2020.”

As mentioned in the quote, Gurman was the first to report that Apple plans to replace the Intel modems in the cellular Apple Watch models with 5G modems from MediaTek. It also serves as a reminder that the Apple Watch technically does have an Intel chip inside, despite Apple's complete move away from the company's chips in Macs.

Check out Mark Gurman's full report on the Apple Watch's 5G transition and satellite connectivity at Bloomberg.

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