Apple's Quiet Revolution: How the iPhone SE 4 Will Mark a Silent Milestone in Modem Technology

Apple’s Newest iPhone Feature Will Likely Fly Under the Radar Next Week

Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone SE 4 next week, which will be the first Apple device to feature an in-house 5G chip. This marks a significant step in Apple's strategy to control its entire technology stack, including cellular modems, which have been provided by Qualcomm until now.

Key Points:

• In-House Modem: The iPhone SE 4 will be the first device with Apple’s own 5G modem.
• Performance: Initially, the new modem won't support mmWave and has reduced download speeds compared to Qualcomm's modems. It also supports four-carrier aggregation instead of six.
• Future Plans: Apple is developing three in-house cellular chips:
  • The first chip (2025) will be in the iPhone SE 4.
  • A second chip (2026) should match Qualcomm’s performance.
  • A third chip (2027) aims to surpass Qualcomm's capabilities.
• Marketing Strategy: Apple is unlikely to highlight this new feature prominently due to its technical inferiority compared to the iPhone 16 and because the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will still use Qualcomm’s modems. This could create an awkward situation if too much attention is drawn to the new modem, potentially overshadowing the flagship devices.

Given these factors, Apple is expected to mention the in-house modem but not celebrate it extensively.