Apple has taken a significant step toward modem independence with the iPhone 16e, which debuts the company's first in-house modem, the C1 chip. This marks the beginning of Apple's transition away from Qualcomm, a supplier it has relied on for years despite a contentious relationship. While Apple is pushing ahead with its own modem technology, Qualcomm isn’t worried about the shift, confident that its advancements in mobile connectivity will keep it ahead of the competition.
At Mobile World Congress 2025, Qualcomm introduced its latest X85 5G modem, boasting 12.5 Gbps download speeds and a 5G AI processor that enhances signal strength and speeds up AI-related tasks by 30%. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon made it clear in an interview that he sees Apple’s modem technology as no threat, arguing that Qualcomm’s experience in connectivity will create a noticeable performance gap between premium Android devices and iPhones. According to Amon, modems are becoming more important than ever, and Qualcomm believes consumers will continue to prefer devices with the best possible connectivity.
Apple, however, is playing the long game. Early tests of the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e show that while it doesn’t yet outperform Qualcomm’s modem in the standard iPhone 16, it is notably more power-efficient. This efficiency advantage could give Apple a foothold as it refines its modem technology in the coming years.
Apple’s in-house modems will continue to expand, with the iPhone 17 Air set to feature the C1 chip later this year, and the entire iPhone 18 lineup expected to transition to Apple’s next-generation C2 modem in 2026. While Qualcomm is downplaying the competition, Apple is laying the groundwork for a future where it controls its own wireless technology stack, reducing dependency on third-party suppliers and integrating hardware more deeply into its ecosystem.
For now, Apple’s modem technology is still catching up, but with the company’s relentless focus on efficiency and optimization, Qualcomm may eventually have more to worry about than it’s letting on.
