Their CPU is based on ARM IP, it’s not like they designed it from the ground up. The modem they might have had to? Also I guess a big challenge are all the patents you need to be aware of and find ways to license or circumvent, not sure if that’s worse for modems but it seems all wireless / cellular technology is riddled with patents (not saying CPUs aren’t but again ARM is probably taking care of some of that for Apple).
No, that's not how the Apple Silicon works - it was at the very start, but the processor cores haven't been based on Arm IP since the A6, since then the Arm designed cores were replaced with fully custom cores that are just compatible with the Arm instruction set.
Same with the GPU except that was later on - it was a licensed PowerVR IP until Apple started using their own custom GPU from the A11.
They bought intel’s entire modem unit, so it’s not a ground up design, but maybe that makes it worse… who knows what was causing intel to not be competitive in that space…
