Quick Summary
Apple is reportedly spending billions on developing a new modem chip for the iPhone. It could help Apple make ever-thinner iPhones and boost battery life too.
Sometimes Apple likes to plan very far in advance. The Apple Intelligence that's launching with the iPhone 16 started with a small app called Siri that Apple bought way back in 2010 and the Neural Engine it introduced in 2017. The processor powering those iPhones started with Apple's purchase of chip design firm PA Semiconductor in 2008. And now it looks like Apple is making another long-term bet with an upgrade that won't appear in the iPhone 16, but could make a big difference to future iPhone models.
