I think Apple may let this new iPhone SE 4 go 4-5 years before another update especially if they put the modern high tech A18 chip in it. Seems like they are giving this new iPhone SE a gigantic upgrade into the modern world that could make it last a very long time.
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Other How will Apple neuter the 2025 SE?
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Again, these arguments are well-known among Samsung users for Qualcomm modem vs. Exynos modem.
You could say that cellular data speed is not an important point (and you would be right).
But, other than that, the Apple modem will have worse cell reception, translatable in more dropped calls and no internet signal in low signal locations, you can count on it.
Also this could (and most probably will) lead to worse battery life in comparable conditions.
I’m betting this Apple Modem will be a super striped low end customized 5G Qualcomm modem but designed by Apple/TSMC to save on design costs. Apple is not fully ditching Qualcomm just yet hence the contract extension they signed with them until 2027
Even Qualcomm’s lowest end modem won’t have those problems that you state.
This is just delusional. Apple modem will be derived from their buyout of Intel's modem division.
They probably know how to manufacture a good modem, but Qualcomm owns a lot of crucial patents in the modem space, and that's the reason for which non-Qualcomm modems underperform.
The iPhone XS/XR and 11 series were/are usable phones even with Intel modems. Theoretically the Apple modem should be an improvement over those at least even if it's not Qualcomm.
I don’t understand this logic.
The previous SE iPhones were not neutered in any way. If anything, they remain profitable for Apple precisely because they use existing form factors whose R&D costs have long been recouped over the course of time. You slap in a relatively recent processor to modernise it, and call it a day.
Even trying to come up with a new form factor that removes a camera here or a button there defeats the whole point.
So the only question is - what case design will the iPhone SE use, and what processor? Let’s be honest - it’s still going to be fast regardless of whether it’s the A17 pro or A18 and users probably appreciate the extra ram more than they care about having the absolute fastest speed.
SE25 is rumoured to have an iPhone 14 design (so notch vs Dynamic Island).
As for mmWave, the rumours are that it will be the first iPhone to use Apple’s own 5G modem, so we shall see.
I've had an XR for more than 6 years now, haven't even thought of it having an Intel modem.
I've never missed not having 5G FWIW, and I don't really see the point of it for most people. I actually see 5G as a negative, as it consumes more power. Browsing social networks, watching YouTube/netflix or whatever really doesn't benefit from gbit speeds. LTE is fast enough.
Can't really think of anything 5G makes better... maybe lower latency, but who needs that on a phone?
Both in here and on forums like Reddit, I see a lot of 5G iPhone users who complain about things like it using too much battery, coverage not being good enough, transfer speeds not being as good as advertised, etc. Some toggle it off completely and don't feel the need to use it.
Of course, that's not everyone. But I think the sentiment in general is that 5G far from the must-have that it was promoted as when it was first introduced.
Although I don't expect any new iPhone to launch without it, I would actually go as far as to say many wouldn't hesitate if 5G on the next SE was very subpar or if they omitted it entirely.
Not that they would because the wireless radios are cheap to make and boost the sales argument greatly. But they could omit if they wanted to and still sell a lot of SE 4s.
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I’m a bit surprised that so many here are doubting Apple’s ability to make a good modern chip. (But also not too surprised — because this is the internet and the internet is often so negative, lol.)
Apple has shown to be very good at designing their own A-Series and great at designing their own M-Series chips. Arguably Apple’s M-Series are the best consumer processors available today. Maybe… just maybe… Apple knows what it is doing in regards to designing chips.
Apple has shown to be very good at designing their own A-Series and great at designing their own M-Series chips. Arguably Apple’s M-Series are the best consumer processors available today. Maybe… just maybe… Apple knows what it is doing in regards to designing chips.
Chip design isn't the problem. Patents are.
The A/M CPUs are built upon ARM IP, which is easily licensed so patents aren't really an issue.
For a modem though you need 5G IP, which Qualcomm has patented heavily. So they need to find ways around those patents which is very difficult, and Qualcomm obviously don't want competition so they won't allow you to license their IP.
If it was a problem, then Apple probably wouldn’t do it. A Qualcomm modem is in the iPhone 16 now. If it was an issue, they would just use a Qualcomm modem again.
Also… even if patents are a problem… Apple isn’t afraid to infringe on a few patents, lol. Just ask Masimo. Eventually Masimo won, but it took years for the dispute to conclude in the courts.
I have complaints about some of Apple’s decisions. Apple does questionable things somethings. But Apple isn’t going to intentionally put out a s****y phone that can’t function as a phone.
It is a huge problem, that's why Intel sold the business 5 years ago in the first place.
Apple bought it and planned/hoped to get something workable and migrate to it years ago, but they couldn't... so they were forced to sig a new deal for Qualcomm modems.
Qualcomm isn't some small business Apple can just run over, that's why this has been so difficult for them. Qualcomm have very good lawyers and billions to spend on them... which is exactly what they did a few years ago, and Apple finally had to settle with Qualcomm and give them billions for a new deal for modems into 2027...
It looks like next year might be the debut of the Apple modem, but it'll likely be less performant than Qualcomm. Sure, it'll work... but it won't be the best and that's why they're putting it in the budget phone first.
If it was a huge problem, nothing is stopping Apple from reversing course. If it sucks, Apple doesn’t have to use its own in-house modem.
Some people and companies can’t get past loss aversion. Already invested all this money in a project and the project is terrible… but you need to keep going because you already invested the money. Apple used to be developing a car. Apple plowed a lot of money into its car project. But Apple isn’t developing a car anymore. Apple has proven that it isn’t afraid to quit when it needs to quit (even if it already spent a lot of time and resources before quitting).
If the in-house modem sucked, Apple could just quit developing it and use Qualcomm's modems. That’s 100% an option for Apple. Nothing is preventing Apple from doing that. The only people who would even know if Apple reversed course are tech nerds like us who read every single Apple rumor out there, lol.
Agree.
-Despite how budget tier SE will be, I cannot see Apple downgrading it to something less than iPhone 14 (except doing single camera instead of dual).
The fact that a lot of it will be 1/1 identical to iPhone 14 is already a big enough negative.
Having cellular calls, data, reception be subpar to a 2+ year mid tier iPhone isn’t going to fly.
This alleged dirt tier cellular modem isn’t happening.
Buyers will be returning their SE 4s in droves if Apple tries to pull that off.
Shareholders would sue Apple for making such a terrible decision leading to huge losses.
The possibility of more dropped calls and internet streams is why i would wait until SE reviews are in before seriously considering it. I live in an area that drops off from suburban to rural very quickly and losing streams is not uncommon even with our current phones. That’s why I was a bit disappointed that the iPhone 16 family doesn’t feature Qualcomm’s X75 modem - not that the custom X71 modem is bad.
If it gets capabilities to run Apple Intelligence it’s a slap in the face to iPhone 15 users.
Regards,
An owner of an iPhone 15 for under 12 months
Regards,
An owner of an iPhone 15 for under 12 months
Making logical deductions is not a paranormal skill.
Now for the next magic trick: I predict that people will continue to disagree about the performance of the Apple Modem even after the SE is released.
Hehe, indeed. And speaking of the future, there will be more side by side Apple modem comparison reviews on YouTube than we'll have time to mark as not interested, let alone watch.