Apple plans to move away from Qualcomm modems in the Apple Watch while bolstering its new in-house alternatives, according to The

Phone 17 5G modems will be made by MediaTek, as Apple moves away from Qualcomm. Future iPhones will use Apple's solutions instead.

Apple and Qualcomm's relationship has been strained for a decade and the iPhone 16e C1 chip is Apple's first move to cut ties once and for all.

The C1 modem chip is introduced with the iPhone 16e. Apple was initially secretive. Now there are the first in-depth insights.

Per Apple, it's "the first modem designed by Apple." Given that all previous iPhones also had some sort of modem chip inside — for example, the iPhone 16 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon X71M — it's easy to overlook the C1 as just another chip that makes the iPhone do basic iPhone stuff like connecting to the internet.

There's been a lot of fear in the last few days that Apple left off MagSafe off the iPhone 16e because it somehow interfered with Apple's C1 cellular modem, but physics precluded that from the start.

One of the rumors was that MagSafe magnets wouldn't play nice with the Apple-made C1 modem and its cellular connectivity. It was suggested that Apple dropped MagSafe so that the company could ensure the 16e's connection.

Apple's iPhone 16e marks the end of an era, but the C1 modem signals the beginning of Apple untangling itself from Qualcomm.

For example, in a congested network area, the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e can instruct the C1 modem to dynamically manage traffic, prioritizing your needs in real-time. If you’re trying to send a photo or video to someone, for instance, the A18 will tell the C1 to prioritize that network traffic over other data tasks.

If it winds up lasting as long on a charge as promised, the iPhone 16e could set a new standard for all mid-range phones in terms of endurance — including Android phones. Its real test, however, would be to beat the the 18 hours and 49 minutes clocked in by the OnePlus 13R.

The $599 iPhone 16e comes with Apple’s own cellular model, the C1, and Apple Intelligence. The sub-6 GHz modem promises to improve device performance and aid in cost savings, and the phone offers high-end features at a competitive price point.