Apple is going to debut its 5G modem in the iPhone SE in 2025. However, with time, it plans to completely replace Qualcomm.
Apple Will Launch its 5G Modem in 2025, Will Completely Replace Qualcomm by 2027
Currently, Apple is using 5G modems from Qualcomm in its iPhones and iPads. But, the company has been working on its own modem for years.
In 2025, its first-ever modem is going to make its debut in the iPhone SE 4, and then it will make its way to the iPhone 17 Slim (or Air).
The important thing to note here is this – Apple’s first 5G modem is going to be a big downgrade on paper when compared to Qualcomm.
However, with time, Apple is going to bring its modem to more of its devices and better compete with Qualcomm, according to a latest report by Bloomberg.
The first modem that will make its way into the iPhone SE 4 and iPhone 17 Slim won’t feature mmWave 5G. But in 2026, Apple is going to introduce mmWave in its modem, and it will make its debut with iPhone 18 and high-end iPads.
In 2027, Apple plans to completely replace Qualcomm modems with its own, and even offer better performance.
While the lack of mmWave 5G might sound like a huge downgrade, and it certainly is, for the normal user, it means nothing at all.
You are doing absolutely nothing on your iPhone at this point that requires mmWave 5G, let alone sub-6GHz speeds.
For me, it’s important that Apple delivers a stable and reliable user experience, and given how Apple has been excelling in its chips lately, something tells me its 5G modem will be off to a great start next year.
Initially, we’ll see a ton of Speedtest screenshots showing how slow the new modem is, but if it’s offering better usability and reliability in real-life scenarios, that’s all that matters.
