Apple rumors make the world go round. Some would say it’s gravity, but it’s Apple. Forget the Farmer’s Almanac; most farmers rely on the iPhone release schedule. Yesterday, the iPhone 16e was unveiled, ushering in a new future for Apple’s tech – a future in which it makes all of its mobile chips itself. The iPhone 16e debuted the C1 modem, the first ever homemade, custom-made, perfectly seasoned 5G chip. Today’s reports tell us that even more chips are on the way.
Rumors have started to spread from this, meaning that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air (which keeps getting talked about until it doesn’t exist!) and the rest of the lineup will rely on Apple’s Wi-Fi chat to connect between devices. Kuo mentions that the new chip will “improve communication between Apple devices.” No one knows what this means, but we can bet that it has something to do with predictive computing or Apple’s involvement in the creation of a “smart home.” Apple TV was rumored to receive a major update this year, making it even more convenient as a universal hub for the walled garden home.
Apple said that the C1 chip was supposed to bring significant battery performance gains to the iPhone 16e. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Wi-Fi chip has some sort of marketing slogan to show how the company can tweak each chip exactly how it needs to and how users ask for it. It wouldn’t have as much control over the specifics of its bragging rights if it were still contracting with another manufacturer for a 5G modem. Gradually, Apple is making sure that it is at the forefront of all the hardware used in its products. The iPhone 17 is likely to be another step towards this.
