The iPhone 16e is official and Apple's new cheapest iPhone marks a turning point. The company is not content with a simple update and is bringing many new features, starting with a name change. The iPhone 16e is above all the first iPhone in history to feature the Apple C1.
Apple C1: the first cellular modem designed by Apple
After years of hopes and doubts, Apple is finally launching its first cellular modem. Called C1, this modem (4G/5G) is of particular importance to the Cupertino company, which wants to extend "the advantages of Apple chips" with this new product. The C1 is already touted as “the most energy-efficient iPhone modem” and provides “fast and reliable” 5G cellular connectivity.
Combined with an A18 chip, it helps deliver an all-new internal design and “unparalleled” battery life. Apple is used to stringing together superlatives to praise the merits of its own chips, even more so when you consider how difficult it is for the company to achieve this result.
A major step for Apple
Apple has been seeking to strengthen its independence for years, dreaming of technological autonomy. Apple Silicon chips are the symbol of this quest and the company's desire to have control over the elements that make up its products. For years, however, the Californian company has had to deal with a cumbersome partner: Qualcomm. The two companies are not the best of friends, but Apple had no choice but to rely on the chip giant to equip its iPhones. Indeed, Qualcomm has been considered for years as one of the only suppliers capable of equipping Apple smartphones with 5G chips. A risky situation of dependency for the American company.
For a while, the latter believed that Intel could interfere in the battle. In order to distance itself from Qualcomm, the Cupertino group wanted to turn to Intel while waiting for the arrival of its own chips. Unfortunately for Tim Cook, the former tech giant failed to finalize its 5G modem and ultimately abandoned its project in 2019. Intel's modem business was eventually sold to Apple for $1 billion, but the road was strewn with pitfalls before arriving at the C1 modem.
Apple seemed incapable of following through on its dream for a long time, and rumors even suggested abandoning the "made in Apple" 5G modem project at the end of 2023. Less than two years later, the American group is nearing its goal and integrating an "in-house" modem into its most affordable model.
A promising modem that won't make us forget Qualcomm's chips just yet
This last clarification is important, because little is known about this modem. Behind Apple's speech, we will have to wait for the first tests to get an idea of its performance compared to Qualcomm's modems. The iPhone 16 still features Snapdragon X71s and Bloomberg said at the end of 2024 that Apple's first 5G modem would not be as efficient as Qualcomm's solutions.
According to the American media, this situation would push Apple to adopt a progressive approach. Indeed, this new modem (codenamed "Sinope") appears in the iPhone 16e and should equip the future iPhone 17 Air/Slim, i.e. entry-level and mid-range devices. It should also make a place in future entry-level iPads, but Apple does not plan to integrate it into its premium models. The iPhone 17 (Pro) is likely to remain loyal to Qualcomm and the situation could continue until 2027.
As early as 2026, the second-generation modem (codenamed “Ganymede”) would help the brand get closer to Qualcomm’s capabilities. It would add mmWave support and offer higher speeds, improvements that would allow it to take place in the iPhone 18 and the iPads of 2027. However, it is with the third generation ("Prometheus") that Apple could surpass Qualcomm in terms of performance and AI. Ultimately, Apple would like to merge its modem and the main chip of its devices into a single component. As for the iPhone 16e, it will remain in history as the first iPhone to have a chip that could mark a turning point in the history of the Apple.
Read also: iPhone 16e: everything you need to know about Apple's affordable smartphone
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