Apple’s First In-House 5G Modem Will Debut With Next iPhone SE

In 2025, Apple will release its first in-house modem, codenamed “Sinope,” alongside the next-generation iPhone SE. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the team has been developing this modem for over five years, and they plan to use it in select low-end iPads after its debut.

The new modem will support sub-6 5G but lacks mmWave capabilities, a feature present in Qualcomm’s current modems. Additionally, it offers four-carrier aggregation compared to Qualcomm’s six or more. Despite achieving lab speeds of up to 4Gbps, Apple’s modem lags behind Qualcomm’s performance benchmarks. However, Apple gains the advantage of cost savings and tighter integration with its processors, enabling efficient power consumption and improved features for satellite connectivity.

The upcoming iPhone SE will pair this modem with an edge-to-edge screen design and support for Apple Intelligence. Although Qualcomm’s solutions are more advanced, Apple is expected to handle dual SIM standby and intelligently manage SAR (specific absorption rate) limits through its main chip. Manufactured by TSMC, the modem will also feature an Apple-designed RF front-end system, “Carpo,” to enhance mobile network connectivity.

Apple plans to refine its modem technology over the next few years. By 2026, the second-generation modem will support mmWave 5G, six-carrier aggregation for sub-6 bands, and eight-carrier aggregation for mmWave.

This upgrade will feature in the iPhone 18 series and premium iPads by 2027. By 2027, Apple aims to surpass Qualcomm’s capabilities with its third-generation modem, incorporating next-gen satellite network support and artificial intelligence enhancements.

This progressive roadmap reflects Apple’s long-term vision of creating tightly integrated hardware that leverages its ecosystem, gradually reducing dependence on external technology providers.