You can connect HomePods and Apple TV to your hotel's Wi-Fi network.
1 Facebook x.com Reddit
Rumors about an Apple TV set-top box are rare, but a new one predicts a hardware refresh will hit store shelves in 2025 with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip, alongside a new HomePod mini.
Little is known about the new Apple TV hardware or the new HomePod mini. However, a Bloomberg report on Thursday sheds rare light on the new device.
However, new features are few and far between. The main point made in Thursday’s report is the suspicion that Apple will use its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, rather than relying on Broadcom products.
Apple’s Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth chip is said to be called “Proxima” internally. The report also claims that Apple has been working on it for a couple of years.
Unsurprisingly, the networking chipset is said to be on the list for production at Apple’s main foundry, TSMC.
Proxima is believed to debut in a new Apple TV box and HomePod mini in 2025. It is rumored to eventually appear in the iPhone 17 lineup later this year.
This isn't the first time Broadcom has been reported to be moving away from Wi-Fi in the iPhone. Ming-Chi Kuo said in October that the switch would likely happen in 2025 for the iPhone 17.
The new modem isn't expected to hit the Mac until 2026.
The Latest Step in a Long Migration Away from Supplier Dependency
The switch appears to be another step in allowing Apple to stop buying chips from other suppliers. Apple Silicon in general is an obvious example.
The company is also rumored to be working on its own cellular modem for the iPhone, another move away from third-party suppliers. It is expected to debut in the 2025 iPhone SE.
Apple and Qualcomm have extended their global patent licensing agreement for two years to include modem and Wi-Fi technologies. The extension and contract for use of Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems expire in March 2027.
If Apple can get its modem and Wi-Fi chip designs equivalent to Broadcom's offerings, it won't have to renew that contract and rely on that supplier for modems after 2027. This has been Apple's goal for a long time, and the biggest move was the move to Apple Silicon.
And from 2016 to 2023, the two companies were embroiled in a Wi-Fi patent dispute with Caltech. Switching to Apple-designed chips could further distance the iPhone maker from Caltech.
However, if another recent rumor is to be believed, Apple's reliance on Broadcom may not be over. Apple is said to be working with Broadcom on AI server chips. Apple currently uses the M2 chip in server farms to power Apple Intelligence, and the M4 is rumored to replace it soon.
Follow AppleInsider on Google News
