Η Google decided to leave its long-term partnership with Qualcomm and use its T900 modem MediaTek in the Pixel 10 series. This decision marks a major shift in Google's strategy for cell phones, as the company is reportedly trying to distance itself from the platform Snapdragon of Qualcomm.
According to a source close to Google (via Android Authority), the company weighed all the 5G modem options available on the market, including Qualcomm's Snapdragon X75, which powers Apple's iPhone 16 lineup. However, Google has opted for MediaTek's T900 modem for its next-generation Pixel phones.
The T900 is part of MediaTek's “M85” generation of modems, which are expected to support the newer 3GPP Release 17 5G specifications and possibly even newer standards than that.
In this regard, it is a bold move on Google's part to go with MediaTek's untested solution when there is the option of using Qualcomm's modem technology. This shows that Google is increasingly focusing on creation of the internal mobile ecosystem, independent of third-party chipset vendors.
The fact that Google's in-house Tensor chipsets have already begun to reduce the company's reliance on partners like Samsung, and the shift to a MediaTek modem suggests that this will continue. However, there is a risk with an untested solution like the T900 that the connectivity performance and compatibility of the Pixel 10 will be affected.
