Apple Still Investigating Cellular MacBook
Recent reports have suggested Apple is actively considering bringing cellular connectivity to the Mac lineup as early as next year, but arch rival Microsoft isn’t waiting around to find out – the company is launching its first 5G-enabled Surface laptop this month.
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The Surface Laptop’s 5G capabilities come as Apple has begun deploying its custom-built C1 modem chip in some devices.
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According to a December report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is “investigating” the possibility of adding a second-generation C2 modem to a future Mac as early as 2026. According to Gurman, Apple’s next-generation C2 modem will support faster mmWave technology and is expected to arrive in 2026, debuting in Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models – with inclusion in a Mac potentially shortly after.
When Apple Silicon was announced five years ago, I was excited that it could lead to a much smaller notebook, a less expensive notebook, or one with a cellular modem. So far, it’s made the existing MacBook lineup much better, but we haven’t seen any of these potential new products.
Previously:
- Apple’s Spin on AI and iPadOS Multitasking
- iPhone 16e
- Rumor of Cellular MacBook
- Apple Silicon: The Roads Not Taken
- Why Don’t We Have Cellular MacBooks?
3 Comments RSS · Twitter · Mastodon
I can't help but wonder if the multi-device strategy is part of this. That, and their cozy relationship with the wireless network operators.
A hotspot tethered to a MacBook works fantastically. And requires both an iPhone and a relatively expensive data plan. And helps limit active users of the cellular network.
I don't see Tim Margin rocking that boat. Especially with all the moves he's made in recent years to cozy back up to the network operators.
@bart
I'm not sure your theory passes scrutiny.
I can tether my devices to a hotspot on my phone with unlimited data on a €10 a month plan - this is in Ireland so maybe things are different elsewhere?
