Apple is finally planning to launch iPhone models with its homegrown 5G modem in 2025, according to a new report. However, the performance will lag behind the Qualcomm modems in current iPhone 16 models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the iPhone SE 4 that is set to launch this spring and the intriguing iPhone 17 Air model due in the autumn will be the first to carry the modem Apple has been working on since buying Intel’s modem-making business five years ago.
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The report says the Apple-made modem isn’t as advanced as the Qualcomm 5G component currently sitting within the iPhone 16 Pro. That’s because Apple’s tech doesn’t yet support the mmWave 5G wireless standard deployed in the US by Verizon and other providers.
The tech is particularly useful in achieving superfast speeds in urban areas and can reach speeds of up to 10Gbps. Not that you’d notice that because networks do not provide anywhere close to those speeds to consumers out in the wild. Initially, Apple’s modem will support what’s known as Sub-6 5G networks, Gurman reports.
Gurman reports:
“The first Apple modem will also only support four-carrier aggregation, a technology that combines bands from several wireless providers simultaneously to increase network capacity and speeds. Modems from Qualcomm can support six or more carriers at the same time. In lab tests, the first Apple modem caps out at download speeds of about 4 gigabits per second, less than the top speeds offered by non-mmWave Qualcomm modems.”
Mark Gurman, Bloomberg.
It’s quite unlikely that consumers will notice the drop off for the reasons outlined above. And, it’s common for the iPhone SE range to include components inferior to flagship generations of the iPhone. However, the iPhone 17 Air would probably be expected to have a modem with 5G speeds in line with other devices of that generation.
Gurman does say the slight drop off is a temporary measure, with 2026 and 2027 modems getting closer to Qualcomm-level capabilities.
