(It’s tempting to think Apple might introduce an ultra-secure, premium, satellite messaging, and communications service down the road, something that might reduce the available attack surface for some nation-state attackers.)
Ericsson, meanwhile, explains: “6G networks will be built on the foundation of 3GPP standards, complemented by O-RAN Alliance specifications, to enable open and globally scalable platforms for innovation. As work in 3GPP progresses, with first implementable specifications targeted for 2029 and commercial readiness expected around 2030, early collaborations with device and chipset partners like Apple and MediaTek are crucial for building the 6G ecosystem and ensuring network and device interoperability.”
Apple, the 6G champion
For Apple watchers like me, what is most interesting here is that Apple’s work can be seen as proof that, having arguably been late to both 4G and 5G, the company —now with its own modem development experts — is working hard to ensure it’s very much part of the transition to 6G. It also means Apple is just a little bit easier to find at the annual mobile industry event MWC.
