In 2020, Apple announced its transition to Apple Silicon, successfully replacing Intel processors and developing more efficient and faster chips in less than three years. Now, Apple is setting its sights on replacing Qualcomm’s modem chips, moving steadily toward fully internalizing all networking functions.
Apple’s first custom-designed modem chip, the C1, has made its debut in the newly released iPhone 16e, marking the beginning of the company’s plan to gradually phase out Qualcomm components. Focused on power efficiency, the C1 does not support 5G mmWave or the same frequency bands as Qualcomm’s offerings, but early tests show it delivers impressive performance. Thanks to its energy-saving advantages, the C1 is expected to be used in lightweight models like the iPhone 17 Air, rather than the mainstream iPhone 17 lineup.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple aims to completely replace Qualcomm’s modems within two product generations. The next in-house modem, the C2 (code-named Ganymede), is expected to launch with the iPhone 18 series in 2026, followed by adoption in select iPad models in 2027. The C2 chip will support mmWave 5G with download speeds up to 6Gbps, along with Sub-6GHz six-carrier aggregation and mmWave eight-carrier aggregation, delivering a significant leap in performance.
Apple’s third-generation modem, the C3 (code-named Prometheus), is projected to arrive in the iPhone 19 series in 2027, with ambitions to surpass Qualcomm in both performance and AI integration.
In addition to modem chips, Apple is also planning to replace Broadcom’s networking chips. Its in-house Wi-Fi chip, code-named Proxima, is expected to debut in 2025 alongside refreshed versions of the HomePod mini and Apple TV, with support for Wi-Fi 6E. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the chip will also be introduced in the iPhone 17 series, not limited to the iPhone 17 Air, aiming to improve inter-device connectivity while reducing costs.
Once the transition to in-house modem chips is complete, Apple intends to integrate cellular modem functionality directly into its Apple Silicon SoCs, further improving power efficiency and reducing production costs. This integration is expected to occur as early as 2028.
