Reputable analyst Jeff Pu has something to say in a note to investors, claiming Apple is indeed working on a new version of its in-house 5G chip, to come potentially with the iPhone 18 series.
Apple introduced its first 5G modem, the C1, with the iPhone 16e. The C1 does not support mmWave, so it’s not able to deliver the ultrafast speeds of 5G initially only Verizon had to boast with (now all of them have mmWave), but the fact that Cupertino is working to move away from relying on other companies for components is telling.
The C1 modem however seems to not be ready to be introduced to more expensive, flagship models, so it will most likely not be in the iPhone 17 series coming in September. However, Apple has been rumored to have started work on a new version of its modem, and now analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities is corroborating this information, claiming the new modem may be reserved for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The chip may be called “C2”, and earlier a Bloomberg report also claimed the C2 modem is coming to the higher-end iPhones next year. A recent lab test with the iPhone 16e revealed that Apple’s 5G modem is more efficient than Qualcomm modems in other iPhones, and it uses less power, which results in better battery life overall. Pu also said that Apple wanted to put the modem in the super slim-chic iPhone 17 Air that is supposed to come out in September, but then Cupertino changed its mind.
For now, it’s not clear if the base iPhone 18 model may come with the C1 that’s in the iPhone 16e. The C2, or however Apple ends up naming the next-gen modem, may be reserved for the Pro iPhone 18 models. It’s also possible the base iPhone 18 model may still feature Qualcomm’s 5G modem.
The 5G modem is one of the most important components of a smartphone, even though to many it seems, at first glance, maybe not such a big deal. However, it ensures your iPhone can connect to the internet (reliably), which is key for it to be usable in today’s day and age.
The C1 in the iPhone 16e performed quite well, reaching similar speeds to Qualcomm’s modem in most scenarios. However, the lack of mmWave support is a thing that has to be addressed, especially when it comes to flagship devices.
Meanwhile, Apple’s main competitor, Samsung, still bets on Qualcomm’s modems for the Galaxy S25 and the upcoming S26 series. But Samsung also uses Qualcomm’s SoC in its phones, even though it would probably like to push its in-house Exynos chips to deliver better yield. All in all, there’s a growing tendency toward self-reliance among phone makers, and I reckon it will continue to grow in the future.
