Intel Mobile Communications (IMC), is the mobile research and development division of

Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. Intel designs, manufactures, and sells computer compo ...

. It was formed when Intel completed the acquisition of the Wireless Solutions (WLS) division of

Infineon Infineon Semiconductor solutions is the largest microcontroller manufacturer in the world, as well as Germany's largest semiconductor manufacturer. It is also the leading automotive semiconductor manufacturer globally. Infineon had roughly 58,0 ...

early in 2011 for US$1.4 billion. The

subsidiary Comneon was also acquired by Intel and integrated into Intel Mobile Communications. IMC maintained offices in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

from the Comneon deal under ''Intel Mobile Communications GmbH''. Some other offices in Germany (Dresden, Regensburg, Ulm) were closed in 2015. IMC develops, manufactures and markets

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping level ...

products and solutions for wireless communications. It targets the fast-growing market segments of smart phones, connected devices (e.g. tablets, USB dongles, mobile PCs, M2M), and ultra-low-cost/entry phones. Its roadmap is focused on providing cost-effective 2G/ 3G single-chip platforms for ULC phones up to entry-level smart phones and 3G/ 4G slim modem and RF solutions for mid-to high-end smart phones and connected devices. In 2013 due to re-organization, a new organization was formed, named WPRD (Wireless Products Research & Development), which included the former IMC teams, and also the former MWG (Intel legacy Mobile and Wireless Group). This organization was managed by Aicha Evans. In 2016 the name was changed to iCDG (Intel Communications Devices Group). In 2017 Aicha Evans moved and became the chief strategy officer of Intel.

Products

Intel Mobile Communications developed 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G

modem The Democratic Movement (, ; MoDem ) is a centre to centre-right political party in France, whose main ideological trends are liberalism and Christian democracy, and that is characterised by a strong pro-Europeanist stance. MoDem was establis ...

s under the Intel XMM modems brand. Intel Mobile Communications developed the Intel

Atom Atoms are the basic particles of the chemical elements. An atom consists of a atomic nucleus, nucleus of protons and generally neutrons, surrounded by an electromagnetically bound swarm of electrons. The chemical elements are distinguished fr ...

Z2000, Z2460, Z2580 system on a chip (SoC) processors. In 2017, external publications (not confirmed by Intel or Apple) indicated that the

Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...

7 & 8 LTE modems, in most of the units shipped, were based on Intel chips (developed at IMC or iCDG).

Acquisition by Apple

On April 16, 2019, Apple and

Qualcomm Qualcomm Incorporated () is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Diego, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. It creates semiconductors, software and services related to wireless techn ...

reached a settlement which included Apple paying an unspecified amount, entering into a six-year patent licensing agreement, and a multi-year agreement for Qualcomm to provide hardware to Apple. Shortly after Intel announced they will exit the 5G smartphone modem business to focus 5G efforts on network infrastructure. On July 25, 2019, Apple and Intel announced an agreement for Apple to acquire Intel Mobile Communications' smartphone modem business for US$1 billion. Intel will continue to develop modems for non-smartphones such as PCs, IoT devices, and autonomous vehicles.

References

External links

Official website

Apple iPhone modems review
{{Authority control Intel