[dmishe]

>radio interface (RF) chips that traditionally were off limits to all but the most advanced chip makers like Qualcomm. These chips rival CPUs in complexity.

This is interesting, I want to know more about why are they so complex?

[stevedc3]

Analog circuitry is the most complex in chip design. It's part art part science. At the end of the day radio waves are traveling through the air and a lot of things can go wrong.

[kragen]

Then read http://designinganalogchips.com/.