Google is gearing up to ditch Qualcomm chips in favor of MediaTek's T900 5G modem for its Pixel 10 series

The MediaTek T900 is MediaTek's upcoming next-generation 5G baseband chip, part of the MediaTek M85 modem series. MediaTek is now set to secure an order from Google.

Sources reveal that Google has decided to end its long-standing partnership with Qualcomm, opting instead for MediaTek's T900 modem in the Google Pixel 10 series devices. This marks a significant shift for Google.

Many Android flagship devices currently use Qualcomm chips and Qualcomm 5G modems, including Google (though Google has also used Samsung's Exynos chipsets along with Samsung's baseband chips). The reason behind Google's switch to MediaTek's chips remains unclear.

Since the T900 has not been released, only images of the T800 are available

After evaluating all available 5G modem options on the market, including Qualcomm's Snapdragon X75 baseband chip, Google has ultimately decided on MediaTek's T900. The Snapdragon X75 is currently used in models including the iPhone 16.

The MediaTek T900 chip is expected to support the latest 3GPP Release 17 5G specifications and may even support newer standards, while MediaTek's M80 modem series previously supported up to 3GPP Release 16 5G specifications.

Google has already used its own custom Google Tensor chipsets in the Pixel series, instead of Qualcomm or Samsung chipsets, reducing its dependency on the supply chain.

However, there is no news yet that Google plans to develop its own 5G baseband chips. Apple is set to use its own 5G baseband chips starting with the iPhone 17, perhaps Google's turn to MediaTek is also a move to reduce reliance on Qualcomm.