Apple’s C1 modem launched this yr within the iPhone 16e, however with out a lot firm fanfare. However Tim Cook dinner simply expressed C1’s strengths in a means that Apple—for good motive—shied away from beforehand.
C1’s strengths deliberately under-marketed by Apple
When Apple launched C1, it was the end result of a few years of effort. However not like a lot of the corporate’s different improvements, Apple needed to be cautious to not tout C1’s advantages too extremely.
Why? As a result of Qualcomm’s competing modem remains to be in its hottest and costly iPhones.
Apple at present sells 4 iPhone fashions which can be extra ‘premium’ than the 16e, they usually all have Qualcomm modems.
And later this yr, the most costly iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max will proceed to stay with Qualcomm.
So in the case of the C1’s arrival, Apple couldn’t precisely come proper out and say it had beat Qualcomm’s modem. To take action would have meant dissing the tech in its personal, extra premium iPhones.
Apple talked about C1 as a part of the iPhone 16e’s announcement press launch, but it surely didn’t get a lot consideration.
The one massive declare Apple made was that C1 is “probably the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone.”
It was a protected boast: “most power-efficient” doesn’t equal “finest.”
Since launch although, we’ve realized the C1 has much more advantages, together with outperforming Qualcomm in lots of real-world benchmarks.
Apple can’t but shout these claims from the rooftops. However CEO Tim Cook dinner did slip a bit on Apple’s newest earnings name.
Tim Cook dinner admits Apple’s personal modems ‘produce higher merchandise’
When requested about Apple’s launch of C1 and future modem technique, right here was Cook dinner’s response:
We’re tremendous excited to ship the primary one and get it on the market, and it’s gone effectively. We love that we will produce higher merchandise from a viewpoint of actually specializing in battery life and different issues that prospects need. And so, we’ve began on a journey, is the best way I’d put it.
In addition to Cook dinner’s hints at Apple’s future modem efforts, probably the most fascinating a part of his response was the second sentence: “We love that we will produce higher merchandise…”
He mentions specifics of battery life features, plus the imprecise “and different issues that prospects need.”
However the begin of the sentence says all of it: C1 makes Apple’s merchandise higher than the modems supplied by Qualcomm.
With Apple’s very first in-house modem, it believes it has overtaken the market chief, Qualcomm.
And when its Qualcomm contract expires, and the total iPhone lineup will get an Apple-designed C1 or C2 modem, the corporate can cease being shy about it.
Do you want C1 was coming to the total iPhone 17 lineup? Why or why not? Tell us within the feedback.
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