Apple C1
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Apple C1
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| Designer | Apple |
|---|---|
| Introduced | February 2025 (iPhone 16e) |
| Role | Cellular modem — Apple's first (5G sub-6 GHz, no mmWave) |
| Devices | iPhone 16e |
| Successor | Apple C1X |
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The Apple C1 ended one of the longest dependencies in Apple's supply chain: its first in-house cellular modem, shipped in February 2025's iPhone 16e after years of development that began with the billion-dollar purchase of Intel's modem business in 2019. Deliberately debuted in the lineup's lowest-stakes slot, it traded peak speed — sub-6 GHz only, no mmWave — for the best power efficiency of any iPhone modem, feeding the 16e's standout battery life.
1 Legacy✎
The C1 proved the modem program viable after years of doubt and litigation history with Qualcomm. Seven months later the Apple C1X doubled its speed in the iPhone Air, beginning the staged rollout that is walking Apple's radios up the lineup.