Broadcom to unveil 3G iPhone Chip (BCM21551) at 2008 Mobile World Congress this week in Barcelona?

Mon, 02/11/2008 - 8:42am — Seth Weintraub

Broadcom is set to unveil today what many think will be the heart of the 3G iPhone's communications chips. The BCM21551 3G System on a Chip (SoC) from longtime Apple partner, Broadcom, offers:

Broadcom's new BCM21551 single-chip 3G SoC processor with HSUPA functionality for high bandwidth transfers of data to mobile devices. The new baseband solution enables manufacturers to build next generation 3G smartphones with breakthrough features, sleek form factors and extended battery life. Broadcom will also be demonstrating the BCM21331 single-chip 2G SoC, enabling a range of cost effect new handset devices.

Many think that this is the chip that will be included in Sony's new Xperia X1 phone and many others coming out in Q3 2008. Obviously, no word from Apple on this.

Forbes is telling potential iPhone customers to wait on buying an iPhone until a 3G version based on this chip or something like it comes out - "soon".

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Comments

3G here we come. I am

Mon, 02/11/2008 - 10:02am — Parker (not verified)

3G here we come. I am looking foward to a May release for iPhone 3G. Why do you say? Apple is all about College campuses and the iPhone makes a great graduation gift. I predict the iPhone 3G will be sooner than we thought.

Parker - MacSoftwareList.com

I agree with Parker May

Mon, 02/11/2008 - 1:05pm — kirasaw (not verified)

I agree with Parker May would be great timing - a big gift giving time plus those $600 tax rebate checks will be rolling out:))

For me, that phone cant come

Mon, 02/11/2008 - 1:43pm — Anonymous Coward (not verified)

For me, that phone cant come soon enough.

I would even pay 600 (euro) for it like with the launch of the 1G iPhone.

This is would be awsome! I

Mon, 02/11/2008 - 3:51pm — instinct4info (not verified)

This is would be awsome! I already own a 8gb model and as much as I want the 3G one...with more memory......I may wait for the following model. I will buy new one... on every other major upgrade. But congrats to those who have been waiting for this. I know this will make many more happy and as for the stock price this should put some value back in.

how can this be the chip

Tue, 02/12/2008 - 6:58pm — Ovid (not verified)

how can this be the chip powering the 3g iphone? It takes 18 months to design into a handset and the chip only started sampling in October '07. If the AT&T CEO has already stated that a 3g iphone would be introduced in '08 then the math just doesn't work. I think the 3g iphone goes to infineon (the current baseband supplier for the EDGE version)...

Well, Apple apparently lied

Wed, 02/27/2008 - 10:14am — Jim (not verified)

Well, Apple apparently lied about the SDK being available in February, so why shouldt we expect that they wouldn't lie about the release of the 3G iPhone in 2008? I have been waiting since lauch of the 1st gen iPhone in order to get more memory (at least 32gig) and 3G. However, I am growing weary of waiting. If there is no 3G by Sept, I may look to another iPhone-like device. Well, at least I've earned all that interest on the $600 I've earmarked for the 2nd gen iPhone. (obvious sarcasm) If Apple waits much longer, I might as well just wait for the 4G model. Come on Steve!