Apple’s C1 modem in iPhone 16e seems to work just fine – The Verge

Apple C1
Apple’s iPhone 16e is a new addition to the iPhone 16 lineup that offers powerful capabilities at a more affordable price. iPhone 16e delivers fast, smooth performance and breakthrough battery life, thanks to the industry-leading efficiency of the A18 chip and the new Apple C1, the first cellular modem designed by Apple. iPhone 16e is also built for Apple Intelligence, the intuitive personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant intelligence while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy in AI. The 48MP Fusion camera takes gorgeous photos and videos, and with an integrated 2x Telephoto, it is like having two cameras in one, so users can zoom in with optical quality. When outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features — including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite — help iPhone 16e users stay connected and get assistance when it matters most
Allison Johnson for The Verge:
‎

Much of the 16E is familiar, but there is one entirely new component: Apple’s C1 modem. This is its debut appearance, and the road to Apple’s first in-house modem was reportedly full of setbacks and delays. I’ve used it for the past week to make FaceTime calls, upload large video files in crowded places, and stream YouTube on the bus. I tested it alongside a regular iPhone 16 equipped with a Qualcomm-made modem — both on Verizon — and I didn’t see any consistent difference in performance between the two.
Every time I thought the iPhone 16 was faring better with video call quality or upload speeds, I’d try the same test again and the 16E would come out ahead. If I were none the wiser, I wouldn’t have given the modem a second thought as I used the phone. Given the difficulty Apple seemingly encountered building this thing and the complexity of a cellular modem, “it seems fine” is actually a great outcome for the C1.
Apple claims switching to its own modem has allowed it to squeeze a little more battery life out of the 16E, offering “the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone,” according to its press release. Battery life certainly seems good. I spent an afternoon out of the house using a lot of navigation, streaming a podcast, testing connectivity, and watching YouTube. I clocked about five hours of screen time and was only down to 41 percent by the end of the day. I’m confident that most people could get through a day comfortably on this battery…

‎
MacDailyNews Take: We’re very interested to see how this does, and in which geographies, but it’s good to know that Apple’s modem efforts are finally bearing fruit!

‎
Please help support MacDailyNews — and enjoy subscriber-only articles, comments, chat, and more — by subscribing to our Substack: macdailynews.substack.com. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
The post Apple’s C1 modem in iPhone 16e seems to work just fine – The Verge appeared first on MacDailyNews.