New iPads This Week Aren't Equipped With Apple's C1 Modem for 5G

[youteonduty]

so only the chip is changed right everything else is same as last year with a new price tag ?

 

[kiranmk2]

The replacement of the C1 5G modem chip will likely be built into the SoC that will be in a future iPhone 17 or Mac with M5 like the T2 security chip.

Thus reducing cost, power consumption, space, etc.

This is similar to the 2007 iPhone 2G... although presented as such it was essentially a developer's phone that so happens to be offered to the general public for a paid beta.

The smartphone meant for the mass market came out the following year, the iPhone 3G.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Apple 5G modem will become part of the A19 & M5 SoC.

Given that we've a;ready heard talk of C2 & C3 I suspect it will be a few years before the modem is built into the main SoC. I would assume that Apple will wait until it can fit the modem and wifi/bluetooth/thread chip into the same package too.

it's cool that Apple is making it's own modem, but until it's equivalent to the performance of the Qualcomm one (ex: mm wave) I'm not interested in buying a product with it inside.

I didn't think the iPad and iPad Air supported mmwave anyway, even with the Qualcomm chip

 

[bn-7bc]

ok I'm no expert so this question might be very silly, but isn't a soca very noisy place (rf vise) with little to no space for shielding is that really the place ee wanr to stuff a set of radio transceivers , or would it in fact make sense to put it on a cepsrate chip thar can at least be somewhat shielded ?

 

[SanderEvers]

Based on an endless supply of user reports, like this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1895509081458405386

That's a 16e to 16 Pro Max comparison. Same carrier network, same location. The examples are everywhere.

That really is an n=1 comparison and literally says nothing. Especially when you do the test at the same time.

 

[TokyoKiller]

So now an iPad has better connectivity than an iPhone. What a weird timeline. What product are they going to cripple with the C1 next?

Okay there with the hyperbole

 

[wgaller]

Not sure how anyone could be excited for a new iPad after so many iterations.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Reasons why C1 5G modem chip isn't in other newly released Apple products

- super secret project isolated to the iPhone 16e
- iPhone 16e is a test bed for new tech... such as this Apple-made 5G modem chip
- C1 chip fab cannot fulfill demand beyond iPhone 16e
- 5G modem chip contract obligations to Qualcomm

All excellent points, and with people still assuming it will be in whatever the iPhone "Air" turns out to be, it makes me very curious what that device will be. The rumors are very confusing to me. Surely Apple has a clearer idea for what this product is supposed to be. On the one hand it's rumored to be a higher end device, but on the other rumored to get the C1. Maybe they don't expect it to sell in large quantities?

 

[centauratlas]

It seems logical Apple would only use the C1 in a few select products at first. If there is a problem you don't want your entire product line impacted, so I am not surprised. Plus there are no doubt ramping up timelines to meet.

 

[nt5672]

More no strategy, hodgepodge releases.

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think the C1 was built only for the iPhone 16e to verify the technology of the modem before its wider use. The M3 iPad Air with the cellular modem already have the space (and battery capacity) to still accommodate the Qualcomm radio modem chip. It's also possible that only the A18, A18 Pro, and upcoming M5 series SoC's will support the C1 and eventually C2 radio modem chips.

 

[haunebu]

That really is an n=1 comparison and literally says nothing. Especially when you do the test at the same time.

Even MacWorld is like “Yeah… the C1 is slow.” This isn’t being disputed by anyone.

We tested Apple's new C1 modem: These are the surprising results

We tested the iPhone 16e against the iPhone 16, and found it to be slower, but acceptable.

www.macworld.com

 

[mansplains]

iPhone 16 e(xploration)

iPhone XR(esearch experiment)

 

[bigglow]

Given that we've a;ready heard talk of C2 & C3 I suspect it will be a few years before the modem is built into the main SoC. I would assume that Apple will wait until it can fit the modem and wifi/bluetooth/thread chip into the same package too.



I didn't think the iPad and iPad Air supported mmwave anyway, even with the Qualcomm chip

Apple moves quickly... they will design it into the SoC as early as possible.

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

They know it sucks, which is why they're limiting the soft release to the redheaded-stepchild 16E, so it essentially flies under the radar until it's ready for the prime time.