Why Apple's C1 Modem Chip Skips mmWave 5G: Power Consumption is the Culprit

Apple's first modem chip, the C1, notably lacks support for mmWave 5G, a faster variant of 5G technology. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, this omission is primarily due to power consumption concerns. Despite expectations that designing a radio chip would be relatively simple given Apple’s success with Mac processors, the complexity of global mobile data standards makes it a challenging task. The C1 chip supports numerous 5G, LTE, and other wireless bands, but mmWave support was sacrificed for better battery efficiency. However, Apple is reportedly working on overcoming these challenges to include mmWave in the next version of the chip, which is set for mass production next year.