Apple's new 'e' series smartphone could be a regular thing: new iPhone 16e would be followed up by iPhone 17e in 2026 with in-house 5G modem.

The iPhone 16e is living up to early expectations as a new 5G wireless model test proves. The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your Inbox

Apple's iPhone 16e launches on February 28, 2025, at $699. Featuring AI, A17 chip, and 5G, it offers premium features at an affordable price.

The rest of the smartphone world doesn’t seem to mind buying Qualcomm’s modems, which hold a dominant market share, especially when you only consider high-end phones like the ones Apple makes. As current iPhone users know, Qualcomm’s 5G modems are solid, fast, and good. So why is Apple kicking against them so hard?

Apple’s iPhone 16e is notable for a bunch of reasons, including killing off the Home button and Apple’s use of LCD screens in its handsets. Away from these obvious upgrades, there was one other invisible change: the Qualcomm modem was replaced with one designed and built by Apple.

The price may be higher, but Apple's latest phone also packs a slew of new features and capabilities. Here's how it compares to its predecessor.

We compare every iPhone battery separately. The iPhone 16e is the first iPhone to feature Apple’s own 5G modem, called the C1. It supports sub-6GHz 5G and 4G LTE with 4×4 MIMO, and Apple calls ...

For years, Apple has relied on third-party companies, like Intel and Qualcomm, to provide 5G modems for its iPhones. But the company has long been working on developing its own modem to become more self-sufficient.