Will the “5G” MacBook Pro ever arrive? It is complicated

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While Apple offers WiFi and cellular versions of iPads, it does not offer Macs that can connect directly to mobile networks. But the good news is that 5G MacBooks are indeed in the pipeline, according to the latest newsletter from Mark Gurman, journalist at Bloomberg, and who is a very well-informed source on future Apple products. The bad news is that we may have to wait a few more years.

In this newsletter, Gurman discusses Apple's efforts to design as many components as possible itself. Currently, MacBooks already use Apple Silicon chips instead of Intel chips. And the next step should be the development of connectivity components. Indeed, the Cupertino company still uses 5G modems provided by Qualcomm. But at the same time, it is also working on its own 5G modems, to free itself from this partner.

According to the Bloomberg journalist, Apple's 5G modem could be ready in 2026. Then , we would still have to wait two to three years for this modem to be used on Apple Watches, iPads, etc. and Macs.

Apple could be pushed by the competition

Obviously, since this information comes from an unofficial source, caution remains in order. Furthermore, Mark Gurman simply indicates that Apple's 5G modem will probably only arrive on Macs in 2028 or 2029 (two to three years after the modem is “ready”). But if Apple absolutely had to equip its Macs with 5G, it could always source modems from Qualcomm, which already supplies the 5G modems for the iPhone.

Indeed, it is likely that, soon, MacBooks will have to face competition from high-performance Windows machines equipped with 5G modems to connect to mobile networks. Windows PCs with Arm chips (the same category of chips as Apple Silicon) have been around for years, and some already connect to mobile networks. But competition could be tougher in 2024, thanks to the arrival of a new generation of Qualcomm processors, which is particularly innovative. The latter provides 5G modems for the iPhone, but also provides Arm processors for Android smartphones and Windows PCs.

• Apple is developing its own 5G modems and according to journalist Mark Gurman, these could one day land on Macs
• Unfortunately, Apple would have difficulty developing this component, which would not be ready until 2026
• In At the same time, Apple could be squeezed by the competition

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