Qualcomm and Samsung announce strategic partnership as Apple looks to building its own chips

Hardware behemoths, Qualcomm and Samsung have announced a multi-year strategic relationship agreement where both companies will work together to enhance their strengths in various technology areas, across a range of mobile devices. [caption id=“attachment_3932725” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] Qualcomm Incorporated’s Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. subsidiary in particular will work with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. in a longstanding deal that will see the industry transition from 4G to 5G. “The announcement today underscores the importance of our longstanding strategic relationship with Samsung in driving core mobile technology into many different segments,” said Cristiano Amon, president, Qualcomm Incorporated. “As Qualcomm continues to lead the world to 5G, the opportunities between our companies are growing and this agreement sets us both on a path for continued success.” “We value our strategic relationship with Qualcomm Technologies,” said TM Roh, executive vice president and the head of mobile R&D, Samsung Electronics. “And look forward to working together to deliver leading technologies in the years ahead.” The news surprisingly comes a week after a Bloomberg report pointed out the fact that Apple over the years, has turned into a chip building ‘powerhouse’ as it gradually threatens to move away from both Qualcomm and Intel. The report revealed citing an insider that Apple is working on three new Mac models that will feature custom co-processors to be launched this year. The same will be used on both desktops and laptops. When it comes to smartphones, Apple seems eerily close to building (or may already have) its own wholly-made SoC, which would eliminate its dependence on Qualcomm (and Intel) entirely for baseband modems. Apple since the  iPhone 8,  iPhone 8 Plus and  iPhone X, (after it  kicked out Imagination Technologies), is only reliant on Qualcomm and Intel (market specific) for its modems on the A11 Bionic SoC.