Apple is trying again to ditch Qualcomm, and if you didn’t get a new iPhone 16. This is probably your last chance at having a quality phone with a higher quality 5G modem. So get a 16 Pro or Pro Max while you can.
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iPhone 16 Pro Max I DO NOT want Apple’s first 5G Modem phone. I’m not a Beta tester.
- Thread starter TheRealAlex
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This is a real concern, still remember how good my iPhone X was, and then upgraded 2 years later to the iPhone 11 Pro (Intel), miserable.
I think you are out in left field with your prognostications.
Its basically a rebranded Intel 4g/5g modem, since Apple purchase the rights/intellectual properties from Intel. Then again, Intel modem was awful on the XS-11's iPhone's.
Isn’t it a bit early to speculate about what the iPhone 17 might have? Do we really know it’s going to have an Apple branded modem?
Even so if it’s using existing technology, I suspect it will be similar for most people. Apple doesn’t make chips so they’re going to have someone make the chip for them. I doubt it will be any kind of breakthrough technology that could cause problems.
Most people just hear 5G and think it’s one thing. When 5G was hyped up to the public, they were referring to ultra fast millimeter wave 5G. This is not what the vast majority of people are able to get.
I’m not trying to rehash the 5G debate, but is it even that serious? Reviews will let us know the download and upload speeds for all versions of 5G. I’m sure they’ll be other things to dislike about the iPhone 17 rather than the brand of modem.
Even so if it’s using existing technology, I suspect it will be similar for most people. Apple doesn’t make chips so they’re going to have someone make the chip for them. I doubt it will be any kind of breakthrough technology that could cause problems.
Most people just hear 5G and think it’s one thing. When 5G was hyped up to the public, they were referring to ultra fast millimeter wave 5G. This is not what the vast majority of people are able to get.
I’m not trying to rehash the 5G debate, but is it even that serious? Reviews will let us know the download and upload speeds for all versions of 5G. I’m sure they’ll be other things to dislike about the iPhone 17 rather than the brand of modem.
I disagree . The best is 15 plus with a16 chip that’s battery efficient, draws WAY LESS power than A17 pro, A18, A18 pro, beast of a battery, decent 60hz, awesome speaker.
15 plus is always the best, followed by 13 pro max. The rest? No
Flash forward a year, and you'll be saying how much you love the new phone.
The SE is going to be the beta tester. Stop panicking.
Because……they will… disappear soon?……Or something?
Pretty sure you'll be able to pick one up somewhere in years to come. I got a 6 Plus off eBay last year, so I don't really think they're going to be gone overnight.
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Huh. I've been using my 11 Pro Max since 2021. It is my primary phone and I've have no issues.
I've not had (and don't have) your 'miserable' experience, sorry.
Highly doubt they will ditch Qualcomm earlier than 2026 for the September launches.
So don't buy an iPhone with an Apple modem?
What's worth talking about here? They have to start somewhere sometime if they want to stop relying on Qualcomm.
Also, it's not like Qualcomm's first couple generations of 5G modems were amazing. Heck, iOS still defaults to "5G Auto" where it falls back to LTE under low load to preserve battery life. Even on an iPhone 16 with a recent Qualcomm modem.
What's worth talking about here? They have to start somewhere sometime if they want to stop relying on Qualcomm.
Also, it's not like Qualcomm's first couple generations of 5G modems were amazing. Heck, iOS still defaults to "5G Auto" where it falls back to LTE under low load to preserve battery life. Even on an iPhone 16 with a recent Qualcomm modem.
All current-indication is that the iPhone SE will be the first iPhone to get the Apple modem. So you can relax. The brave iPhone SE buyers will test it out for you… coward. 😂
This whole post is ridiculous. If you don’t want to be a “beta” tester (which, once the phone is released, you’re not, the beta phase for hardware is before release), then just wait a year and buy the generation of iPhone after that. Voila. No longer “beta tester”.
Also, news flash, if you consider a previously unreleased piece of hardware to be a beta test, then you really can’t buy any new iPhone ever, lest you’re a beta tester for the new SoC or whatever new stuff in there.
Also, news flash, if you consider a previously unreleased piece of hardware to be a beta test, then you really can’t buy any new iPhone ever, lest you’re a beta tester for the new SoC or whatever new stuff in there.
People said the same thing about the M1 chip and it ended up being better than every CPU Apple ever used. So relax and stop spreading your anxiety around, keep it to yourself.
Have to agree…
I have the 11PM as my primary iPhone in part, because in 2021 when I got it, I did not want to be a 'beta tester' for T-Mobile's 5G rollout. Hence, I did not buy the iPhone 12PM (which was the current model at the time), nor did I wait for the iPhone 13PM.
I intentionally got the 11PM.
I'm guessing OP just doesn't understand how that works.
I had the T-Mobile version of the 8 Plus with an Intel modem, while I read about how bad it was, I don't remember it being any worse or better than any other iPhone I've owned. 🤷🏻♂️
My employer buys the SE, and only the SE, as company phones, so I'll be able to guinea pig it on their dime. I don't have a lot of faith in Apple being able to pull this off, and I'm personally an anti-early adopter.
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Hate to break it to you, but if you’ve bought any sort of technology in the last 50 years, you’ve been a beta tester in some form of fashion for one company or another.
If you’re that concerned about it, then I have a cave,
Get over it.
You realize Apple’s in a deal with Qualcomm to use their 5G modems until 2027, right?
I doubt the SE4 will even use an Apple modem as a result, but the mainstream iPhones are 100% not using anything but Qualcomm modems until then.
It’s also extremely callous to decide a modem you’ve never seen is bad because a modem from 6 years ago. With your logic, Qualcomm modems should be garbage because the X50 and X55 were horrible modems. Did we forget that, you know, things change over time?
People on MR need to take a literal chill pill.
A lot of people with their panties-in-a-bunch 😁
Until Apple proves their prowess with a cellular modem, I reserve judgement as to how it will perform.
Speed is only one metric, and arguably, not the most important one.
Aggregation, signal retention (especially while moving), handoff from tower-to-tower etc is just the start when it comes to mobile connectivity. I’m sure more knowledgeable people can elaborate.
I certainly won’t be amongst the first to plunk down my cash for one of Apple’s modems. If they pan out favorably, I’d gladly make the switch.
Until Apple proves their prowess with a cellular modem, I reserve judgement as to how it will perform.
Speed is only one metric, and arguably, not the most important one.
Aggregation, signal retention (especially while moving), handoff from tower-to-tower etc is just the start when it comes to mobile connectivity. I’m sure more knowledgeable people can elaborate.
I certainly won’t be amongst the first to plunk down my cash for one of Apple’s modems. If they pan out favorably, I’d gladly make the switch.
Since OP won't be buying the new iPhone next year, someone will be getting theirs earlier. Hopefully you convince more people to follow your steps.
I agree that I too don't want a Apple 5g modem (not the first one anyway). But it sounds like the Apple modem is coming to the iPhone SE first and maybe the new iPhone 17 Air but not the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
So I think we've got one more year.
So I think we've got one more year.
How do you even know the chips will be bad? We haven't even seen specs, internal testing, nothing. Come on man stop being so damn dramatic for no reason.
Folks with M1 chip products are perfectly happy and do not miss intel.
They won’t ship a modem that isn’t ready.
Yeah, while speed is the easiest metric to judge network quality, many more under the hood factors determine how good the quality of the network is, including those that you mentioned, plus power management and many more. Also a 5G phone can’t use 5G if there’s no 5G coverage.
If OP is SO AGAINST Apple modem, switch to another brand in 7 years time, which is plenty to decide whether he wants a phone with Apple modem or not.