It is now a certainty that Apple will include 5G connectivity in the iPhone 12. It is also a certainty that Apple will use Qualcomm's 5G modem.

However, there is a new wrinkle in the 5G iPhone design: according to a new report from Fast Company, Apple is designing its own 5G antenna for the new iPhone this fall and may forego Qualcomm's antenna.

The reason for this move is quite simple. Apple does not want to bloat the iPhone 12 design, and the antenna on Qualcomm's QTM 525 millimeter wave antenna module is reportedly too thick for Apple's liking.

Qualcomm says its QTM 525 antenna module "supports 5G smartphone designs that are smarter than 8 mm thick. This equates to 0.31 inches.

Currently, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are both 0.32 inches thick. And since the regular iPhone 11 is slightly thicker at 0.33 inches, perhaps Apple wants to be more aggressive with the iPhone 12 design. 9]

As Fast Company points out, designing its own 5G antenna is fraught with risk.

"Having two components manufactured by different companies could create uncertainty and increase the overall difficulty of the design."

In addition, Apple has suffered many scars from antenna-gate, controversy over the iPhone 4, and complaints of dropped calls. Apple responded to these complaints by suggesting that people not hold the phone in the lower left corner or use a case.

One reason Apple may not want to use Qualcomm's antennas is because it does not want to "double dip," i.e., pay Qualcomm a royalty to use Qualcomm's IP while also paying for the components.

However, this report leaves open the possibility that Apple will eventually choose Qualcomm's antennas if the iPhone 12 designers cannot make them work as they wish; a decision is said to be made by the summer before the 5G iPhone is in production.

To get all the latest news, leaks, and rumors surrounding Apple's next flagship model, check out our iPhone 12 hub.