Apple’s Shift to In-House Modem in iPhone SE 4 May Impact Cellular Performance

The iPhone SE 4, set for release soon, will feature Apple’s in-house cellular modem, marking a shift from Qualcomm’s chips.

However, a report from Korea suggests that the new modem will offer worse coverage than the Qualcomm chips used in Apple’s flagship models, including the iPhone 16 series.

Apple’s decision to use its own modem is motivated by cost-saving measures, as it will eliminate licensing fees and allow for better hardware-software optimization.

However, the modem’s performance will be less reliable, especially for users upgrading from older iPhone models who are accustomed to superior cellular connectivity.

Analyst Ming-chi Kuo expects the iPhone SE 4 to sell well due to its improvements over the previous model, but users may face subpar cellular coverage.

Apple’s modem may improve in future iPhones, potentially debuting in the iPhone 17 lineup.