Apple is taking steps to reduce its reliance on external suppliers for cellular modems, a move that could lead to thinner and more efficient iPhones. The company’s first in-house modem will reportedly appear in the 2025 iPhone SE refresh and future models.
The shift aims to free up space for engineers to experiment with new designs, potentially leading to the upcoming iPhone 17 Slim or Air model. This new design could replace the current Plus version and offer significant thickness reductions while maintaining essential features like display, camera system, and battery.
According to Bloomberg reports, the new slim iPhone 17 trim will be among the first to use Apple’s designed Sinope modem, which supports 5G but skips mmWave technology and has lower carrier aggregation capabilities compared to Qualcomm’s modems. The move comes after years of complaining about space taken by external parts, prompting Apple to explore in-house options.
The journey began with Intel’s smartphone modem division acquisition and hiring from Qualcomm. The new iPhone variant is said to have a thickness of just 6.25mm, significantly less than the current thinnest model, the iPhone 6 (6.9mm). However, this reduction comes at the cost of potential sacrifices in other areas, such as heat management kits and MagSafe wireless charging.
As Apple gets back into the slimness race, it’s essential to consider the implications for phone comfort and overall value. Thinner phones may not be as comfortable to hold, especially with sharp edges and flat sides. The marketing pitch for a slimmer iPhone 17 model will need to balance hardware improvements with affordability and user experience.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/tech/apple-progress-slimmer-iphones-sounds-164826809.html