Qualcomm charges licensing fees based on the price of the device being sold. This has been the source of Apple's issue with them for years now [1]. If Apple we

Qualcomm charges licensing fees based on the price of the device being sold. This has been the source of Apple's issue with them for years now [1]. If Apple were to package their laptop line with Qualcomm powered cell modems, I have to imagine the prices required would really take people aback, hence why they're so steadfast in trying to create their own modem. As for why it's better than tethering, it just works without having to do anything. For some users who are always on the go, that's a huge convenience. Also, tethering eats at the cellular device's battery, which is usually a lot smaller than the battery we lug in our laptops. I don't think satellite comms are on any sort of track to meaningfully replace cellular ones. Everything I've seen in that vein is more supplementary to the existing networks, rather than trying to completely replace it. [1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/05/how-qualcomm-shook-down-the-cell-phone-industry-for-almost-20-years/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/05/how-qualcomm-sho...