Apple is working on a refreshed version of its C1 modem, which adds a key functionality missing from the current model, according to an industry analyst. The C1 modem was launched with the iPhone 16e last month. However, the iPhone 16e’s specifications show that it lacks mmWave support due to this modem, but that might change soon.
TF Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e is built with a 4nm or 5nm baseband, 7nm transceivers for low and mid frequencies, and a 55nm power management chip. It only supports 5G up to sub-6GHz.
Since the current version doesn’t support mmWave (a very high-frequency band), it may lead to slower download and upload speeds. To address this issue, Apple is reportedly working on an upgraded version.
Kuo also shared that this version is unlikely to use a 3nm baseband, as it’s not the part that consumes the most power in a modem.
It is said that Apple will add transceivers and front-end components using 28nm technology to enable mmWave support. The analyst says adding mmWave isn’t too difficult, but the real challenge is maintaining stable performance while keeping power consumption low. The analyst says adding mmWave isn’t too difficult, but the real challenge is maintaining stable performance while keeping power consumption low.
However, he did not mention which iPhone will get the refreshed version of C1 modem, but previous reports suggest Apple might use the C1 modem in the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
