Is mmWave 5G Becoming Obsolete with the Rise of Apple’s C1 Chip?

Apple has launched its first iPhone featuring an in-house designed modem chip, the C1, marking a significant milestone for the company. The introduction of this chip offers two primary benefits: it eliminates what Apple considered to be unfair fees charged by Qualcomm, and it improves power efficiency, contributing to better battery life. However, the C1 chip does not support mmWave 5G, which is known for its high-speed but limited coverage due to the need for a dense network of base stations. This omission has led to speculation about the future of mmWave 5G, with some suggesting it may be included in a second-generation modem chip (C2) that would debut with the iPhone 18. The article also touches on the debate over whether mmWave 5G is essential or merely hype, given its limited availability and expensive infrastructure costs.