Apple’s C1 modem in the iPhone 16e is proof that we don’t need Qualcomm for 5G

What you need to know

  • Apple today announced the iPhone 16e, a $599 midrange smartphone with an A18 system-on-a-chip and an Apple C1 modem.
  • The C1 modem is the first-ever Apple 5G modem, which required years of research and development — plus a big acquisition — to complete.
  • What does this mean for Android? It’s proof that if Google and Samsung make in-house modems and SoCs well enough, they can ditch Qualcomm entirely for better performance and efficiency.

Apple today announced the iPhone 16e, a $599 spiritual successor to the iPhone SE with a 6.1-inch screen and an A18 chip. There’s a lot to like about this midrange smartphone, and it has the potential to shake up the market — potentially disrupting phones like the Google Pixel 8a and the OnePlus 13R. However, Android users should only be worried about one iPhone 16e specification, and that’s the Apple C1 modem.

5G modems are one of the rare mobile device components that only a few companies on the planet have created with success. Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung, and Huawei are a few of them, and that’s basically the end of the list. The iPhone 16e represents a breakthrough for Apple because it’s the first device to use an Apple-designed modem, called the C1.

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