Blazing Fast iPhone 17 Air On Cards, Or Not, As iPhone 16e Touts Special Apple C1 Modem
mmWave 5G, which would provide truly ultrafast speeds, isn't supported on this modem.
With the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple has introduced its first in-house modem, the C1. This is a big step in Apple’s decreasing reliance on Qualcomm for for this part. But mmWave 5G, which would provide truly ultrafast speeds, isn't supported on this modem. According to reports, Apple’s upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air might also use the same C1 chip as well, so it would also lack mmWave support.
Will the iPhone 17 Air be worth it just on the basis of its "Slim" look?
What This Means for iPhone 17 Air
According to Apple, the C1 modem is the most power-efficient cellular chip it has ever made, but it only supports sub-6GHz 5G. This type of 5G offers good coverage but is slower than mmWave, which is commonly used in places like stadiums, airports, and dense city areas.
And just the iPhone 17 Air, in the iPhone 17 series, will use the C1, according to industry experts such as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Other models in the iPhone 17 lineup, including the iPhone 17 Pro versions, are expected to continue using Qualcomm modems, which support both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G.
Does that also means the iPhone 17 Air will likely be the cheapest iPhone in the series? While earlier, the basic iPhone has always been the cheapest.
The Future of Apple’s Modems
However, Apple is already working on a second-generation 5G modem that will support mmWave. But this chip is expected to arrive in 2026 with the iPhone 18 series. Reports also suggest a third-generation modem is planned for 2027, which Apple aims to make even better than Qualcomm’s in terms of speed and AI-driven features.
Apple’s deal with Qualcomm is valid until 2026, giving the company time to refine its modem technology even as it continues to grace its high-end iPhones with Qualcomm chips.
