Apple is expected to phase out Qualcomm modems from its iPhone lineup over the next three years. It has been reported that the Cupertino-based company has been developing its modems, codenamed Sinope, Ganymede, and Prometheus, for a few years. Notably, Sinope is rumored to debut inside the iPhone SE 4 slated to launch in March 2025.
There were also reports that Apple could introduce in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips inside the upcoming iPhone 17 series. This, combined with the debut of Sinope, could be Apple"s strategy to creating slimmer and more efficient iPhones. Apple engineers have long criticized Qualcomm"s modems for occupying excessive space within iPhones. This could be addressed by Apple"s in-house modems, designed to integrate seamlessly with other components.
While the first device to launch with Sinope is speculated to be the iPhone SE 4, all eyes will be on the sleek, ultra-thin iPhone, tentatively called the iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air, codenamed "D23." The phone is expected to come later in 2025, maybe alongside the iPhone 17 series, and it will be the company"s thinnest smartphone ever. This device is estimated to be around 2mm thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro model, while still retaining space for other components such as camera, battery, and display.
It has been previously tipped that Apple is finding difficulty to fit components inside the iPhone 17 Slim/Air due to its slim profile. With features such as a single rear 48MP camera, a 6.6-inch display, an A19 processor, Dynamic Island, Face ID, etc., the use of in-house modems could help Apple with adjusting the components inside the device more efficiently.
The slimmer product will also highlight Apple"s reasoning why it spent billions in replacing Qualcomm and introducing its in-house modems. Beyond slimmer iPhones, the in-house modems designed to take up less space could open up new design possibilities for the company to think about such as foldable devices, something which Apple has been actively exploring.
Source: Bloomberg