Enterprise

Apple is buying Intel’s 5G modem business

For a billion dollars

Published

July 24, 2019

Luigi Leonardo

When are Apple’s iPhones getting 5G modems? For such a simple question, Apple has notoriously barreled through controversial hoops just for a conclusive deal. Notably, Qualcomm, a known modem supplier, kept barring the company from fulfilling its 5G dreams. The two companies buried the hatchet only a few months ago. The newfound peace treaty awakened a new multiyear deal, supposedly bringing Qualcomm’s 5G chips to the iPhone.

Despite the good news, the deal still carries a modicum of controversy and uncertainty. For one, Qualcomm is still a volatile business partner. The chipmaker infamously goes for quirky tactics to gain an upper hand. Just this week, the European Commission brought the hammer down against Qualcomm’s unfair pricing schemes.

Secondly, because of the deal, Qualcomm’s competitors suffered a huge blow in the 5G race. For example, Intel surrendered its efforts after the new deal’s inking. Before the deal, Apple was a steadfast customer of Intel’s chips. Even with uncertainty, Qualcomm is forging a subtle oligopoly in the modem race. (Samsung is still in the race.)

Unsurprisingly, some companies refuse to submit to the impending monopoly. However, Qualcomm’s newest defector comes as a huge surprise: Apple itself. Reported by The Wall Street Journal, Apple is finalizing a deal to acquire Intel’s modem business. For a staggering US$ 1 billion, the iPhone maker will acquire Intel’s slew of patents, resources, and staff. The deal will reportedly close as early as next week.

Naturally, Apple’s purchase will allow an eventual independence from its third-party suppliers. In the future, Apple might make its own 5G chips in-house rather than relying on Qualcomm. Right now, a 5G-capable iPhone is still in the works. Apple is eyeing a potential 2020 release date.

Enterprise

realme is reportedly going back to being an OPPO sub-brand

All scheduled phones will still launch on time, though.

Published

January 9, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

A popular story among Chinese smartphone brands is whenever a sub-brand spinning off into its own independent entity. A less common one is when an independent entity suddenly merges back into the main entity. And yet, that’s the story we have today. realme is reportedly going back to being a sub-brand of OPPO.

If you don’t remember realme’s time as a sub-brand, then it’s hardly your fault. It’s been a long while since realme was considered a sub-brand. In 2018, the brand spun off on its own to form one of the most popular names in the Chinese smartphone space.

Today, via Leiphone, realme will return to OPPO as a sub-brand. Current realme CEO Sky Li will still retain his responsibilities heading the brand. Plus, all products on the current release schedule will still come out as planned.

However, starting this year, realme will start reintegrating back into OPPO, particularly through the latter’s after-sales programs. OnePlus will also follow the same structure going forward.

Currently, realme has not officially announced the move. That said, we also don’t know how the brand will address the reported change. It’s possible that the shift is just internal and has no effect on how the brand faces the public. For now, only time will tell.

Enterprise

Samsung warns that tech prices might increase this year

And it’s all because of AI.

Published

January 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The big story late last year was the skyrocketing prices of chips. Analysts are predicting that the demand for RAM will cause the entire industry to experience hikes this year. Some users, especially in the PC building scene, are already feeling the burn. PCs won’t be the only victims, though. Xiaomi is already expecting hikes across the board. Now, Samsung is adding its voice to the growing list of warnings about price increases.

During CES 2026, Wonjiun Lee, Samsung’s global marketing chief, confirmed that the memory shortages are, in fact, real (via Bloomberg). Moreover, the company is now evaluating whether more price hikes are needed this year for its products. Though Lee expressed regret over pushing the prices to consumers, the state of the industry might force the company’s hand.

Samsung’s opinion has a lot of weight. While other brands have also voiced out their opinions lately, Samsung itself is a producer of chips. If a chip supplier is already warning users of prices affecting them, the effect will likely cascade even more when it comes to device manufacturers.

The ongoing shortage of chips is a result of the overwhelming demand from companies looking to build and bolster AI-based servers. The business-to-business demand is notably different from how regular consumers, who will soon find it hard to buy their own devices, see it.

At the very least, Samsung has not confirmed any price increases yet. However, all eyes are on the next Galaxy Unpacked, when Samsung will launch its newest Galaxy products. Will prices increase or stay the same?

Enterprise

TikTok finally gets a buyer in the United States

The deal targets a closing date in late January.

Published

December 19, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

The year started with a ban. A day before Donald Trump started his second term, TikTok went dark, in anticipation of an impending ban. The platform quickly went back online, leading to an ultimatum that saw TikTok hunt for an American buyer to full stave off a definitive ban in the United States. Now, as the year ends, a buyer is finally here.

Via CNBC, TikTok has reportedly inked a deal to finalize a deal in the United States, as stated in an internal memo from CEO Shou Zi Chew. The memo, which was sent just this week, details a plan that will see the deal close by January 26, 2026.

Fifty percent of TikTok’s newly restructured U.S. arm will be held by a collection of American investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Meanwhile, already existing investors of TikTok will hold 30.1 percent. Finally, ByteDance will retain 19.9 percent.

Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm in the United States will be retrained with American data. The American arm will also handle the country’s “data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance.” Oracle will be the “trusted security partner” in charge of making sure the company keeps within regulations in the country.

With a deal pushing through, the long-running TikTok saga in the United States might finally come to a close.