Infineon WLS sold: iPhone's 3G baseband now Intel inside

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Intel has announced that they've bought Infineon's wireless solutions business (WLS) for 1.4 billion dollars, which includes the Infineon 3G radio baseband used in iPhone. Here're the PR bullets:

  • WLS sale enables Infineon to expand leading position in markets for automotive, industry and security technologies.
  • WLS will operate as a standalone business. Intel is committed to serving WLS' existing customers, including support for ARM-based platforms.
  • The acquisition expands Intel's current Wi-Fi and 4G WiMAX offerings to include Infineon's 3G capabilities and supports Intel's plans to accelerate LTE. The acquired technology will be used in Intel® Core processor-based laptops, and myriad of Intel® Atom™ processor-based devices, including smartphones, netbooks, tablets and embedded computers.
  • The deal aligns with Internet connectivity pillar of Intel's computing strategy.

What if anything this changes for Apple or iPhone remains to be seen. (Queue A4 baseband chipset rumors for next year...)

[Engadget, image via AppleInsider]

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.