Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Summary
- Apple may finally be ready to move away from Qualcomm’s 5G modems, starting with the iPhone SE 4.
- The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are likely to continue using Qualcomm 5G, at least for this generation.
- But the new iPhone 17 Slim could be Apple’s second phone to experiment with the company’s own 5G solution.
Everyone who matters in mobile technology is making their own chips: Google, Samsung, Apple. And while heavyweights like them love to make phones with their own custom processors — giving these companies intimate control over feature sets, power consumption, and more — not everything is so easy to do yourself. While Apple got very good at designing processors, it struggled to translate that expertise into anything more. Making your own 5G modemsWe’ve long wondered when iPhones would be ready to take that next step, and a new report suggests it could start happening as early as next year.
We’ve been hearing a lot from leading industry analysts. Ming Chi Kuo Now, and that trend continues now, there is a theory that the first two iPhone models with Apple-made 5G modems will debut in 2025.
Rather than betting everything on these nascent 5G modems, Apple would reportedly make the transition gradually, starting with just a portion of its 2025 LineupThat could start with the iPhone SE 4 in the first quarter, which would match what we’ve heard about a launch that could happen as early as March.
Later in the year, we expect Apple to introduce the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and according to Kuo’s information, those three iPhones (notably, the most common ones) would still use Qualcomm radios, at least for this generation. But we’re also anticipating a iPhone 17 “Slim” This could be a radical departure from the company’s previous designs, and come with a premium price tag. And, as with the iPhone 4 SE, Kuo says Apple plans to use its own 5G modem.
That approach sounds reasonable enough, especially when you’re testing the waters for a big move like this. Releasing the SE early in the year would give Apple a little leeway to work out kinks before the year’s main package of new iPhones, and staying away from the most popular models could allow Apple a little wiggle room if things don’t go well.