Apple will reportedly put its own modems in every iPhone released next year, with no Qualcomm hardware left inside.
The move would conclude a years-long push to cut Qualcomm out of the iPhone. But Apple won’t be fully done with its old rival, thanks to a fresh patent deal.
Apple modems to replace Qualcomm chips next year
Apple spent nearly a decade (and billions of dollars) trying to do something that once looked almost impossible: Kick Qualcomm out of the iPhone. The Apple C1 modem that debuted in last year’s iPhone 16e got the ball rolling in earnest, the C1X ramped things up later that year in the iPhone Air, and now the total replacement of Qualcomm’s hardware appears to be in sight.
In Sunday’s Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote that he expects every iPhone to use Apple’s in-house modems in 2027. Development delays and related contract obligations kept Qualcomm chips in some 2026 models. The most notable example is the iPhone 18 Pro Max released in the United States.
Gurman reported that Apple has poured in tens of billions of dollars into its modem effort over the span of eight years.
The current lineup is split. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo use Apple’s C2 modem worldwide, but a TechInsights teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max found Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X80 modem inside. Apple has not explained why the U.S. model is different.
Apple and Qualcomm extend their patent license
Qualcomm announced on September 24 that it renewed its global patent license agreement with Apple. The new deal will go into effect April 1, 2027. The chipmaker did not disclose the length or financial terms of the deal.
Apple’s original license took effect April 1, 2019, after a sprawling legal battle between the two companies over royalties. That license ran six years, with an option to extend for two more. Apple used that option, with the agreement now pushing to the end of March 2027.
Importantly, the renewal covers patents, not chip supply. Apple can use its own models, but it will need to pay royalties on Qualcomm’s cellular technology.
Gurman reads this as a sign that Qualcomm suspects Apple of infringing some of its patents. He says both sides opted to extend the relationship instead of fighting, and considers it a win for each.
Apple C1 vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon X80: Which modems work better?
In its iPhone 18 Pro press release, Apple described the C2 modem as its “next-generation cellular modem system, which brings AI-powered improvements to cellular quality and reliability.” The company said the “C2 delivers meaningfully faster uploads when compared to C1X while consuming 15 percent less energy, and now supports mmWave in the U.S.”
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber tested both an iPhone 18 Pro and an iPhone 18 Pro Max and compared the two modems’ performance.
“I’ve spent time over the last week with both the 18 Pro and Pro Max and didn’t notice one whit of difference network-performance-wise,” Gruber wrote earlier this month. “And there’s no easy way to measure the effect the modem has on battery life. But we know Apple’s C-series modems are noticeably more power-efficient than Qualcomm’s.”
While Gurman didn’t specify which Apple modem each 2027 model would use, a previous report pointed to a third-generation Apple modem coming next year.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
