How Do You Like Them Apples?

Apple just dropped a game-changing update: its first in-house modem chip, the C1. While the big headlines were all about the new iPhone 16e, this is the real breakthrough—one that could reduce Apple’s reliance on Qualcomm and shake up the mobile industry.

By Mohit Pandey

For years, Apple depended on Qualcomm for modem chips, just like many others in the industry. But now, the Cupertino-based tech giant is taking matters into its own hands.?

The C1 subsystem debuted in the $599 iPhone 16e and is expected to be rolled out across all future Apple devices.

?What Makes C1 Special?

Apple claims the C1 subsystem (which houses processors and memory) boosts battery life like never before. “The iPhone 16e has the best battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s VP of iPhone marketing.?

Oh, and it also packs in Apple’s latest AI features.

Creating a modem chip isn’t easy. It has to work across hundreds of carriers in different countries, and only a handful of companies, including Samsung, MediaTek, and Huawei, have pulled that off so far.?

Apple joining this elite club is a big deal, signalling its long-term commitment to hardware innovation.

Qualcomm’s Worst Nightmare?

Apple and Qualcomm have had a rocky history. After a legal battle in 2019, Apple had no choice but to sign supply agreements when Intel failed to deliver a viable alternative. Now, Qualcomm’s monopoly on Apple’s modems is crumbling fast.

The C1 uses cutting-edge 4nm technology with a 7nm transceiver and has already been tested with 180 carriers in 55 countries, according to Johny Srouji, Apple’s SVP of hardware technologies. However, don’t expect it to completely replace Qualcomm yet—the C1 doesn’t support millimeter-wave 5G, a major Qualcomm stronghold.

“We’re not here to compete with Qualcomm, MediaTek, and others. We’re designing something tailored for Apple users,” said Srouji.

Reportedly, Google is also ditching Qualcomm for its Pixel 10 modems in favour of MediaTek’s upcoming T900 modem—a move that could further dent Qualcomm’s stronghold in mobile connectivity.

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