It’s been nearly six months since Apple changed a crucial piece of technology inside the iPhone. This timeline is great news for the all-new iPhone 17 Air coming in just a few short weeks.
C1 chip success
That core piece of tech, of course, is the cellular modem inside the iPhone.
Starting with the more affordable iPhone 16e in February, Apple began shipping its first iPhone that uses its homegrown chip for making calls and connecting to cell networks.
That’s enough time to determine that Apple nailed the change.
If Apple’s C1 modem faced any real-world challenges, demand for Qualcomm modems inside the upcoming iPhone 17 Air would be the top story of the summer.
Instead, the iPhone 16e has generally lived up to its early reputation. It’s more expensive than the iPhone SE it replaced in the iPhone lineup, MagSafe is still an odd omission, and the rear design is one of the cleanest on a modern iPhone.
As for the C1 modem, there are no complaints of cellular performance being inferior or battery life being negatively impacted. Instead, early reviewers were pleasantly surprised to see 5G performance meet or exceed Qualcomm modems. Apple’s ability to design the full technology stack to meet its needs is a clear win for power management.
Important for iPhone 17 Air
That all bodes well for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. We still expect the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models to use a Qualcomm 5G chip as Apple matures its homegrown modem chip technology. But for the flashiest new iPhone this fall, the modem inside the iPhone 16e being a complete non-issue is a ringing endorsement.
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