The launch of the new budget iPhone 16e marked the debut of the long-awaited in-house, custom C1 modem. According to Apple, this is the most power-efficient modem on the market, and a report claims that the company plans to develop its modem further and integrate it into its future chipsets.
The current C1 modem has a few limitations. First, it’s an external modem that’s not built into the SoC, which means it starts on the back foot when it comes to power management, performance, control and production cost. That’s why Apple is planning to integrate its modem in the future. Second, the modem doesn’t support mmWave 5G connectivity, a feature many modern chipsets offer.
Mark Gurman claims Apple is already developing its second-generation modem, but it won’t arrive soon. This is likely why Apple signed a 5G modem deal with Qualcomm valid until 2027, so we will likely see the next-generation modem afterward.
