Apple has at last unveiled the new iPhone SE . pelf that , the SE batting order is presumably drained and the latest member of the iPhone family is dubbed theiPhone 16e .
contrive to offer the best of theiPhone 16 seriesat a slightly more low-priced price , the iPhone 16e bring a host of features find oneself on its sib devices , but it also brings something entirely new : it ’s the first iPhone with the Apple C1 modem .
Apple has been building its modem for almost seven year , and while we first expect it to found many years ago , the endeavour faced many former challenges . Instead of a howl success — and presumably burned by the signal issue that plagued the iPhone 4 — remember the antenna gate ? — Apple struck successive agreements with Qualcomm to power the modem inside the modish iPhone .
This approach shot has worked so far , but Apple was always potential to continue building its modem , and presumptively , the iPhone 16e is just the first iPhone to feature it . This makes the iPhone 16e crucial to the succeeder of succeeding iPhones , and several Apple supplier relationship , here ’s why .
The past and present of the Apple C1
To understand the past tense of the C1 , you want to describe the account of Apple back almost a decade to the now - notorious legal warfare with Qualcomm . Apple want to go against away from its reliance on Qualcomm and sued the party in 2017 over what it claimed were extravagant patent fees .
Two years later , the two company settled and announce a multi - yr partnership for Qualcomm to provide 5 G modems for the latest iPhones . Although that partnership is still active — and has been extended until 2027 — Apple distinctly show its succeeding intentions by acquire Intel ’s smartphone modem business and thousands of railroad engineer just calendar month after the Qualcomm agreement in 2019 . We first expected Apple ’s in - house modem to establish two year ago , but the extension of the Qualcomm agreement suggested Apple had underestimate the task of build its own 5 G modem .
Two months ago we heard that Apple was plan a phased approach to its modems , with the first product launch this year . The C1 inside the iPhone 16e is n’t require to meet the current Qualcomm X75 modem used inside the iPhone 16 serial , but this phased approaching will belike work in Apple ’s favor .
Why it’s smart to launch the C1 in the iPhone 16e
Apple has n’t formally confirmed it — and the caller almost certainly wo n’t — but all sign of the zodiac point to the Apple C1 modem clamber to meet the speed , dependability , and signal receipt chance on the Qualcomm modem used by other iPhones . If that proves to be the typesetter’s case , set in motion with the iPhone 16e is bound to be the best business decision we ’ll see this twelvemonth .
The iPhone 16e launches at $ 599 , and as the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE series have both been discontinued , it is now the cheapest agency to get one of Apple ’s latest phone with Apple Intelligence . If the modem inside fails to live up to the rest of the iPhone series , it ’s gentle to charge this on it being an affordable twist .
view the alternative : Apple wait and set in motion the C1 inside the iPhone 17 serial publication , including the rumored iPhone 17 Air . The voltage for a PR incubus , and another antenna gate by , this move would also present a huge job as the C1 is not designed to be a flagship chipset . There ’s no mmWave support which would likely crucify US carrier partners . Unless the speeds and dependability were as strong as the best modem inside other flagships , Apple probably also has to contend with an impact on its share price .
alternatively , the iPhone 16e is a proving earth that will either see Apple go all - in on its modem efforts , or sign yet another agreement with Qualcomm .
Why Apple wants an in-house modem
It should n’t come as a surprise that Apple want a modem that it has made in - star sign . One of the primal benefits of the Modern iPhone 16e is a reported 26 - hour battery lifetime , and the modem plays a part in helping Apple reach this destination .
Apple Silicon showed that the fellowship is open of excellent vertical consolidation between all its element , and the welfare of doing so are considerably more than stick with the condition quo . Apple Silicon brought outstanding carrying out , assault and battery , and efficiency benefits to all Macs and helped usher in the ARM - base computing geological era that has see Qualcomm , Intel , and AMD also launch competitors .
It ’s not just Apple Silicon : Apple has a track disk of achievements when it focus on vertical integration between its components . The iPhone uses a smaller battery and less RAM than thebest Android phonesthat aim to compete with it , but achieves similar results . Apple is presumably aiming for similar benefits by operating its own modem , and the two that descend to mind are electric battery liveliness and connectivity .
Battery life history will almost certainly be considerably improved . Yes , we do n’t screw how much by , but if the iPhone 16e is any indication , Apple ’s in - house modem could be crucial to achieving a marked improvement in iPhone battery life .
At first , I would expect connectivity to be inferior to Qualcomm - powered iPhones , but the iPhone 16e will show how of import features like mmWave are to consumers and to Apple ’s carrier partners . In finicky , will future iPhones still defend mmWave ? Could Apple launch a flagship without this eminent - speed 5 gramme technology ? There are many unknowns — peculiarly as we ’re yet to test the C1 inside the iPhone 16e — but in the year to come , this could leaven to be as eventful as the Apple Silicon launch .
Why the iPhone 16e is crucial to Apple… and Qualcomm
The company probable to be most affect by the launch of the iPhone 16e is its current modem provider . Qualcomm has been diversifying its business interest for many age — and theSnapdragon Cockpitis sensational — but the modem business still toy a key part in the company ’s overall outlook .
It ’s clear why the success of the iPhone 16e is crucial to Apple , but I suspect it ’s also crucial to Qualcomm . The company wo n’t say it in public , but I would gestate that its salutary - case scenario is an outcome that advertize Apple ’s modem project back a few years . The spoiled sheath ? The C1 modem has the same effect as Apple Silicon and hastens a faster shift for succeeding iPhones .
irrespective of what happen with the iPhone 16e as a telephone , it could raise to be crucial for the time to come of more than just the iPhone . I ca n’t wait to see how it perform with pre - orders launching tomorrow ahead of its general release on February 28 .
