5G MacBooks are coming, 20 years after Steve Jobs killed them

In 2008, Steve Jobs claimed that Apple had considered adding some sort of 3G connectivity to its MacBooks, but abandoned the plan because the required chips would take up too much space in the laptop’s body.

If Apple can integrate a wireless modem into its Apple silicon chips by 2028, this problem could be solved – 20 years after Jobs admitted defeat.

20 years of preparation

In the future, your MacBook could come with wireless connectivity, allowing you to access the Internet even without a Wi-Fi connection. This would be perfect whenever you go on the road with your MacBook and have some struggle to connect to the Internet, and would put it on par with the iPhone and Apple Watch.

How do we know? Well, that’s the latest claim from journalist Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, and the journalist says it won’t be an old wireless chip: it will be an internal component built directly into the Apple silicon chip that powers all of today’s best MacBooks. the future.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to see the light of day until 2028 at the earliest, meaning you’ll have to stick to connecting your iPhone as a mobile hotspot for now. Gurman notes that the wireless chip will potentially be ready by 2026, but that Apple will need two to three years to integrate it into its devices.

Still, if your MacBook belatedly gets 5G connectivity (or something even faster), it could be a brilliant move for Apple fans, especially if you’re heading out into the wild with your laptop and need solid Internet coverage.

Apple has long been trying to design more parts for its devices. After all, it was this control that led the company to abandon Intel chips in favor of Apple silicon a few years ago. In the case of the wireless chip, there is a very clear reason why this makes sense.

Of course, you can get 5G on your MacBook right now if you connect your iPhone to it, and it works well for many people. But it’s an imperfect solution. What happens if you forget your iPhone or walk away from your phone while your MacBook is downloading something? Building wireless connectivity into the Mac itself avoids all of this.

Plus, it gives Apple even more control over its ecosystem and reduces its reliance on third-party manufacturers, something the company has obviously wanted to do for years. Whatever the motivation, the result will be the same: a better experience on your Mac when you’re away from the Wi-Fi router. And I’m all for that.

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