Apple and Qualcomm renew patent license agreement starting in 2027

Qualcomm has renewed its global patent license agreement with Apple, with the new deal taking effect on April 1, 2027. The announcement does not give the agreement’s duration or financial terms, and it does not announce a new modem-supply deal, according to Qualcomm’s press release.

Patent licensing and buying modem chips are separate arrangements. Qualcomm announced a separate agreement in 2023 to supply Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems for Apple’s smartphone launches in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro introduces its C2 cellular modem system. Our iPhone 18 Pro overview covers the rest of the hardware, while the A20 Pro vs A19 Pro guide explains how a phone’s main processor and cellular modem handle different jobs.

The renewal confirms that Apple’s patent license with Qualcomm continues from April 2027. It does not say which modem chips future iPhones will use. Qualcomm has not shared the length or financial terms of the new license.