A look around the laptop and 2-in-1 space, and you’ll find many manufacturers offering cellular connectivity in their hardware. For those who need to be fully connected at all times, an integrated 5G modem to sit alongside Wi-Fi connectivity is an essential feature. Except for MacBook Pro users.
How Windows Laptops Beat The MacBook Pro
Apple has been resolute in not adding cellular connectivity to the Mac platform, even though it has become a premium feature on Windows laptops. Apple likely considers the ability to automatically hotspot to an iPhone as sufficient, but this option is open to Windows users as well, and the 5G option remains one tha—while niche—is sought for by professions and the occasional road warrior.
This could change as Apple finally has something to show for its $1 billion purchase of Intel’s modem division in 2019. The upcoming iPhone SE is expected to be the first iPhone—indeed the first of any Apple hardware—to use an Apple modem. While the specifications are lower than the Qualcomm equivalent, the iPhone SE specs will be similar to the mid-range competition the SE will face.
When Will A MacBook Pro 5G Arrive?
Neither will Apple stop there. Writing for the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman talks about Apple’s modem plans and its inclusion in the iPhone SE. He also picks out that the lower-specification iPads are in line to receive the new modem technology, presumably after a successful trial period with the SE.
It’s worth noting that Apple is not committing to use the new technology in its major product lines, instead sticking to the lower-priced and more consumer-friendly hardware for the initial rollout phase. And as Gurman reports, after the iPhone and the iPad, Apple will turn to the Mac platform with its new-found love of its home-grown modems, and the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro should be first in line.
When that happens, Apple will finally follow the Windows platform and offer a fully connected laptop to those who need one.
Now read the latest tension between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro release dates…
