5G Teardowns Reveal Qualcomm's RF Leadership Due to Growing Design Complexity

This report examines how the fast transition to 5G and the accompanying increase in smartphone design complexity are being addressed by innovative modem-to-antenna solutions. Specifically, it will look at a sample of flagship 5G smartphones available from some of the world’s largest vendors. Using teardown analysis, it will unpack their use of 5G RF components in the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) of individual models. Given the imminent need for a modem-RF system design to enhance the overall solution, and as one of the few in the industry to currently support such an approach, the report will focus on Qualcomm’s design wins across the technologies in the smartphones, and includes those covering both sub-6 Gigahertz (GHz) and Millimeter Wave (mmWave) options.