Qualcomm and Apple have renewed their global patent licensing agreement, effective April 1, 2027, extending a relationship that dates to their 2019 settlement.

The current deal expires March 31, 2027. Qualcomm did not disclose the duration or financial terms of the renewed pact.

The renewal is separate from Qualcomm's modem supply business. Apple introduced its first custom cellular modem, the C1, with the iPhone 16e in 2025 and continues moving toward in-house modems.

But patent independence is not hardware independence: Apple still needs licenses to Qualcomm's fundamental cellular patents even as it replaces Qualcomm hardware.

Qualcomm's licensing business was about 15 per cent of revenue in the June quarter. The company says it is banking on data-centre growth to offset declining Apple revenue in 2027.

Apple's move toward in-house modems has been gradual. The company shipped its first custom cellular modem, the C1, with the iPhone 16e in 2025, and continues expanding its own modem technology across products.

Qualcomm said in July that revenue from Apple products would decline faster than expected, and it is banking on data-centre growth to offset the drop in 2027. The renewed patent license, though separate from modem supply, preserves a high-margin revenue stream as the hardware relationship winds down.