The iPhone 16e, announced yesterday, is the first to feature Apple’s own 5G modem. It doesn’t support mmWave high-speed communication technology, but it turned out to be very energy efficient
Despite the seemingly low-cost nature of the iPhone 16e (many people don’t associate it with the low-cost segment), it is a real testbed for Apple. In combination with the special A18 chip, which is a modified version of the iPhone 16 processor, the company also introduced its own C1 5G modem. Despite lack of 5G mmWave support (or perhaps because of it), it is more energy efficient than the Qualcomm modems in the iPhone 16 line.
Apple claims that the new modems consume significantly less power and help extend the battery life of the iPhone 16e. The C1 modem provides the 16e with the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1″ display. The optimized A18 processor also plays a role in improving battery life. Referring to Apple’s website Wccftech writes that he is possibly «better than the latest iPhone 16 models in this regard».
«C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most energy-efficient modem for iPhone that delivers fast, reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple’s [chips] silicon — including the C1 — feature an all-new internal design and advanced power management in iOS 18 — all of which contribute to the extraordinary battery life», Apple said.
An interesting point is Wccftech’s remark that «this chip will be available for the iPhone 17 Air later this year». The article does not specify whether this statement is based on any information from Apple. Also, on its own, the site adds that we can hope for improved performance of Apple modems in the future.
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