Apple has successfully developed its first custom-designed cellular modem, known as the C1, which performs surprisingly well in benchmark tests compared to the Qualcomm chip found in pricier iPhone 16 handsets.
The C1 modem is part of the recently launched iPhone 16e and offers average download speeds of 560Mbps for the top 90th percentile of users on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. However, when comparing it to the standard iPhone 16 with a Qualcomm chip, which averages 756Mbps in this scenario, the difference is not drastic.
Things change when looking at the bottom 10th percentile of users, where the iPhone 16e outperforms the standard model, achieving nearly 218Mbps versus 210Mbps. The modem also excels in upload speeds, surpassing even the iPhone 16 Pro in certain use cases.
While the C1 chip doesn’t support ultrawideband 5G, Apple’s investment in developing an in-house modem seems to be a worthwhile endeavor, similar to its speedy M-series chips. Future plans include the development of the C2 and an all-purpose processor containing an integrated modem, which could bring significant energy and cost benefits.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apples-first-custom-designed-modem-did-surprisingly-well-in-benchmarks-164422205.html