Google is thought to be looking at using MediaTek’s M90 modem within the Tensor G6, and would be a clean break from Samsung’s modem tech, according to reports. The rumored pivot isn’t a matter of reshuffling brands; it has the potential to directly target years-long Pixel pain points like battery life, heat, and (awful) radio performance.
The rumor and the rationale for a modem switch
Industry murmurs from tipster Mystic Leaks, reported by regional outlets like SammyGuru, indicate that Google is considering MediaTek’s M90 modem as the companion modem chip to its next Tensor processor. That’s interesting, as Google has traditionally turned to Samsung for its modem stack despite shifting production of the CPU itself over to TSMC on the latest Tensor generations.
As a platform, MediaTek has hyped up the M90 as achieving the balance of next-gen 5G with AI-based signal management to more aggressively handle power. Company materials indicate a downlink speed of up to 12 Gbps, improved scheduler intelligence, and a design philosophy that is aimed at reducing heat under sustained loads. Simply put: faster radio, more intelligent resource utilization, and fewer thermal spikes.
An Opportunity To Redress Pixel Modem Pain Points
Pixel fans know the story. Original Tensor devices were getting bad criticism for being extremely hit-and-miss in weak signal areas and battery-aggressive. Although later iterations have improved, third-party testing has shown time and again that there was a gap between the best modems made by Samsung compared to rivals. PCMag’s nationwide carrier tests have often shown us that modem and RF differences are a major reason why one phone is more or less stable, faster or slower than another one; phones with Qualcomm modems usually have better fringe coverage.
That matters beyond speed tests. A more efficient band-keeper modem is a modem that spends less time hunting for signal; it can have a real impact on tech like standby life and device warmth while navigation, tethering, or uploading. For Google’s camera-first phones that send a lot of photos and video into the cloud — and execute AI functions in the background to boot — uplink reliability and thermal performance are just as important as peak throughput.
How MediaTek’s M90 modem stacks up on paper
On paper, the M90 ticks off all of the boxes that modern flagships have to consider: wide sub-6 GHz aggregation, up-the-wazoo MIMO detail (including full support for global band configurations with freedom to design upstream mmWave variants according to carriers’ needs). MediaTek is also bringing the power-saving emphasis on 3GPP Release 17 features — things like smarter DRX cycles, better RRC state handling, and more intelligent link adaptation that keeps you connected at rates where your battery isn’t sapped.
The company’s recent modems have included a stronger dose of AI at the baseband level, in the form of predictive modeling that optimizes beam management and handovers. If these sound like marketing claims, well, they are — but only to a point that matches our field performance across vendors: the modems winning out are more and more the ones that avoid expensive blunders — of band switches not strictly needed in that moment; of uplink signal choices too reckless with system resources — and thereby fewer wins based simply on who posts a best-case peak.
Why not Samsung for Google’s next Pixel modem choice
Samsung’s newer Exynos modems have gotten better, but they still haven’t quite shed a reputation — earned during the Pixel 6 days — for being inconsistent when in difficult network environments. Lab measurements and reviews from publications that do controlled drive testing have often recorded weaker reliability versus Qualcomm-based rivals, particularly outside dense urban centers. A small delta here even results in differences as perceived by the user on battery life and call stability.
If the M90 truly runs cooler under load and latches onto signal more tenaciously, Google’s reward could be instantaneous: less idle battery drain from background retries, quicker photo uploads after you’ve exited a dead zone, and fewer instances of throttling during extended tethering sessions.
The strategic upside for Google in switching modems
And beyond raw performance, there is a supply-chain angle. Already, Google has diversified chip production alongside TSMC for newer Tensor generations. Selecting MediaTek for the modem would de-risk dependence on a sole partner, add pricing leverage, and enable Google to work the power curve tighter in execution of its silicon roadmap. Analysts, including those at Counterpoint Research, have also observed that MediaTek’s ambitions in high-end tiers have been on the up, potentially giving it a lot of motivation to work out with Google specifically.
The caveat: integration is hard. Things can’t just be plug-and-play; modem swaps require extensive RF front-end tuning, carrier certification per region, and months of field trials. A replacement would have to overcome those obstacles without falling back on feature gains like eSIM, VoNR, and regional band support.
What it could mean for the Pixel 11 user experience
Combine a more power-efficient modem with the next-gen Tensor, which is said to focus on cooler operation, and you could end up with a Pixel that solidly marries Google’s AI capabilities to class-leading connectivity. Look for actual improvements in fringe coverage, steadier 5G in stadiums and transit centers, and longer battery time when you’re binging on streaming video.
None of the information is official. Nevertheless, the trajectory is logical: fewer complaints about (and investigation into) connectivity issues from Google and more thermal headroom for on-device AI. It’s a likely path to doing it, and yet another sign that Google’s silicon situation is maturing beyond its Samsung start in earnest.
