MacRumors

Apple's new C1 modem in the iPhone 16e is just the "start," according to the company's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji.

"C1 is the start," said Srouji, in an interview with Reuters. "We're going to keep improving that technology each generation, so that it becomes a platform for us that will be used to truly differentiate this technology for our products."

Apple confirmed to Reuters that it plans to use its own cellular modems across more products in the coming years. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said the iPhone 17 Air will also be equipped with the C1 modem.

Apple's in-house modem will allow it to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm, the current supplier of modems for other iPhone models.

Qualcomm expects its share of iPhone modems to drop to as low as 20% by next year.

The C1 modem is manufactured with a 4-nanometer process, and its transceiver is manufactured with a 7-nanometer process, according to Srouji. He said the modem is the most complex technology that Apple has ever built, and it was tested with 180 carriers in 55 countries to ensure reliability for core functionality like phone calls and mobile data.

We are still waiting for C1 modem speed tests.

Srouji said Apple's goal with the C1 modem was not to match the sheer performance or specifications of rival modems, like those from Qualcomm. While the C1 modem might not provide the fastest 5G speeds possible, and lacks mmWave support, Apple says it is the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, contributing to the iPhone 16e having the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone ever. As expected, the modem has tight integration with the iPhone 16e's software and hardware, including the A18 chip.

"I believe we're building something truly differentiating," said Srouji.

Apple's rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model could feature a larger display than originally expected.

On the Recycle Bin podcast this week, Jon Prosser said the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a 6.7-inch display, rather than a 6.6-inch display as previously rumored.

Last year, display industry analyst Ross Young said the iPhone 17 Air would have a 6.55-inch display, or a 6.6-inch display when rounded up.

It is unclear which rumored measurement is accurate: 6.6 inches or 6.7 inches.

Prosser also claimed that the iPhone 17 Air will be 5.64mm thick, at least when excluding the device's rumored rear camera bar.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had said the iPhone 17 Air would measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point. 5.64mm is not too far off, if accurate.

Prosser is a well-known tech YouTuber who runs the channel Front Page Tech. Like most sources, he has a mixed track record with Apple rumors, with some hits and some misses. In 2020, he was the first source to reveal the design of the AirTag, many months before it was announced. He also shared many accurate details about the iPad mini 6, months before that device was announced. On the other hand, he and others were wrong about the Apple Watch Series 7 having flat edges, although perhaps Apple tested such a design.

Prosser has leaked several Apple-related details in recent weeks, including the alleged designs of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air. He also claimed that iOS 19 will feature a redesigned Camera app with a visionOS-like interface.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 Air in September.

Update: In response to this report, Young reiterated his 6.55-inch display size claim for the iPhone 17 Air.

American Airlines now supports the iPhone feature that makes it easier to share the location of AirTag-equipped baggage at airports, according to View from the Wing.

iOS 18.2 added a new feature to the Find My app that allows you to temporarily share the location of an AirTag-equipped item with others, including employees at participating airlines. This way, if you have put AirTags inside your bags, the airline can better help you find them in the event they are lost or delayed at the airport.

American Airlines rolled out support for the feature this week, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed. Other airlines that already offered the feature include Delta, United, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, and more.

Here is what an American Airlines spokesperson told View from the Wing:

We've introduced the ability for customers to easily and securely share the location of their AirTag or Find My network accessory directly with the airline.

Customers can generate a link through Apple's Share Item feature available on iOS 18.2 or later and share it with American in the rare case when a bag is delayed for any trips with a segment from or to a U.S. airport. Customers just need to scan the QR code at the baggage office to start their claim and provide their information.

iPhone, iPad, and Mac users running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later can generate a "Share Item Location" link in the Find My app. Anyone they share the link with can then view a web page with a location of the item on a map. The page will automatically update with the item's latest known location.

Apple said it worked directly with airlines to put systems in place to "privately and securely" accept the "Share Item Location" links. Access to each link is "limited to a small number of people," and airport employees are required to "authenticate" to view the link by signing into their Apple Account or partner email address.

The item's location stops being shared "as soon as a user is reunited with their item," or automatically expires after seven days.

iOS 18.2 was released in December, and Apple said that additional airlines will implement this feature over the coming months.

The new iPhone 16e has the longest battery life of any 6.1-inch iPhone. According to Apple's tech specs, the iPhone 16e offers up to 26 hours of battery life for video playback, compared to up to 22 hours for the standard iPhone 16.

A key reason the iPhone 16e has longer battery life than the iPhone 16 is Apple's new C1 modem, which is the most power-efficient modem ever included in an iPhone. All other current iPhone models are equipped with Qualcomm modems.

Here is how Apple described the C1 modem:

Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone, delivering fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity. Apple silicon — including C1 — the all-new internal design, and the advanced power management of iOS 18 all contribute to extraordinary battery life.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with the C1 modem, which should contribute to the device having longer battery life.

It is not only the C1 modem that will boost battery life. With a large 6.6-inch or 6.7-inch display, there should be plenty of room inside the iPhone 17 Air for a larger battery, even with the device expected to have an ultra-thin design. So, despite being thin and light, the iPhone 17 Air's battery life might be more impressive than some may have anticipated.

Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder.

The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the limit of the charging port." It's already thinner than a headphone jack, which is probably why there isn't one.

When opened, the Find N5 is 4.21mm at its thinnest point, which is actually thicker than the new Huawei Mate XT Ultimate tri-fold phone at 3.66mm – so the "world's thinnest" claim only applies when the Find N5 is closed. It has a 6.62-inch outer screen, a titanium hinge, and a 8.2-inch square inner LTPO display, which (as Marques Brownlee notes) is more screen real estate than an iPad mini.

On the back is a ring triple camera system featuring a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS). That's accompanied by a smaller 50MP periscope telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom and OIS, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera.

The Find N5 has IPX6, X8, and X9 ratings, so it can survive immersion and sprayed water, but not dust or dirt. It features a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and a 5,600mAh battery, and the whole package weighs in at a relatively light 229 grams. However, it will also make your wallet lighter – the phone's starting price is 2,499 Singapore dollars, which is around $1,867 USD.

In addition to the slim profile, the Find N5 can connect to a Mac for file transfers and remote control using Oppo's O Plus Connect app on the Mac, according to The Verge.

Except for the US, the Find N5 is available in markets globally, including Europe and Asia. The phone was expected to be re-branded as the OnePlus Open 2 in the US, but Oppo's sister brand says it has no plans to launch a foldable phone this year, so it looks like Americans will miss out.

The smartphone market is fascinated with thinness right now. Samsung recently teased its super-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, following reports that Apple is planning to launch a so-called iPhone 17 Air in September. The rumored device, which will replace the Plus model in its next-generation iPhone 17 lineup, is expected to be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the iPhone 17 Air will be 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, which likely means that it will have a 5.5mm chassis with a thicker rear camera bump area.

Apple will use its own custom-designed Wi-Fi chip in all upcoming iPhone 17 models, according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Writing in a post on X (Twitter), Kuo said the switch to in-house Wi-Fi chips will "enhance connectivity across Apple devices" while also giving Apple a cost reduction.

All current iPhone models are equipped with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip supplied by Broadcom, but Kuo has previously said he expects Apple to equip "nearly all" of its products with its own in-house Wi-Fi chip "within about three years."

Kuo in October predicted that at least one iPhone 17 model launching next year will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip. In the previous report, Kuo said Apple's chip would support "the latest Wi-Fi 7 spec," but he did not provide any further details, and his latest post does not mention a Wi-Fi version number.

All four iPhone 16 models already support Wi-Fi 7 with Broadcom's chip, but they have some limited specifications.

Jeff Pu, another analyst who covers companies within Apple's supply chain, said in November 2024 that only the iPhone 17 Pro models will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, but Apple's plans may have changed since then.

With Wi-Fi 7 support, iPhone 17 models could leverage the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously when paired with a compatible router, enhancing data transfer speeds, reducing latency, and improving overall connection stability. Qualcomm states that Wi-Fi 7 can achieve peak speeds exceeding 40 Gbps, making it up to four times faster than Wi-Fi 6E.

Apple's Wi-Fi chip is distinct from the C1 modem chip that Apple debuted in the iPhone 16e on Wednesday. However, it is believed that Apple wants to combine these into a single component. Ultimately, the goal is to create a wireless setup where the components are tightly integrated and more energy efficient, allowing Apple to cut down on the battery use of cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies.

The iPhone 16e and iPhone 15 now sit at the bottom of Apple's iPhone lineup at $599 and $699, respectively. While the 16e shares many important features with the iPhone 15, there are still 30 significant differences between the devices to be aware of–not least Apple Intelligence support.

There is a merely $100 price difference between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e. To justify this, the iPhone 16e misses out on features such as the Dynamic Island and MagSafe connectivity. However, there are some areas where the 16e is actively better than the 15, such as the Action button, chip, and battery life. Here's everything that's different:

Choosing between the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e is not a wholly straightforward decision. While the iPhone 15 is $100 more expensive than the iPhone 16e, it misses out on the Action button, Wind noise reduction, Audio Mix, Spatial Audio recording, the A18 chip and ‌Apple Intelligence‌, Visual intelligence, the C1 modem, and six additional hours of battery life.

Instead, the $100 jump is seemingly justified by the ‌Dynamic Island‌, brighter display, Ultra Wide camera, sensor-shift image stabilization, next-generation portraits, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, Action mode, Thread and Ultra Wideband connectivity, ‌MagSafe‌, and color options–which may not be important to some customers.

The iPhone 15's lack of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support is a major omission and it is difficult to recommend a device that is more expensive, less powerful, and less future proof. The iPhone 16e is a better long-term investment since it is likely to support future ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features, offering a better long-term experience and more desirability in the second-hand market. Its markedly better battery life is also worth noting when it comes to the long-term view of using the device. The iPhone 16e is almost a year and a half newer than the iPhone 15.

If the large display of the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus is essential, then it is likely still worth opting for this option over the iPhone 16e. Likewise, if an Ultra Wide camera or ‌MagSafe‌ are absolutely essential, the iPhone 15 is the only way to go. Otherwise, most customers should save the $100 and buy the iPhone 16e.

Amazon today has a pair of returning record low prices on two popular Apple products, including the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Studio Display. Both deals have been applied automatically and do not require you to clip an on-page coupon.

Apple Pencil Pro

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Starting with the Apple Pencil Pro, you can get this accessory for $99.00, down from $129.00. This is a match for the record low price on the Apple Pencil Pro, and it's a deal that doesn't typically stick around long on Amazon, so if you've been waiting for it to return, be sure to check it out soon.

Apple Studio Display

Amazon is also back with an all-time low price on Apple Studio Display, available for $1,299.99, down from $1,599.00. This is the standard glass version of the Studio Display with the tilt adjustable stand, and right now it's the only model on sale at Amazon.

The Studio Display features a 27-inch 5K Retina display with a 5120 x 2880 resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. Apple says that the standard display is engineered for "extremely low reflectivity," but for rooms where there is a lot of glare, Apple suggests the nano-texture glass option with even less reflectivity.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

Apple's new iPhone 16e, announced on Wednesday, supports Visual Intelligence despite having no Camera Control button, and now Apple has confirmed that the Apple Intelligence feature is coming to the iPhone 15 Pro as well in a future software update.

On iPhone 16 models, Visual Intelligence lets you use the camera to learn more about places and objects around you. It can also summarize text, read text out loud, translate text, search Google for items, ask ChatGPT, and more.

The feature is activated via the Camera Control button that's exclusive to iPhone 16 models. It was thought that the extra button was necessary to activate the feature, but the new iPhone 16e lacks such a button. Instead, Visual Intelligence can be assigned to the device's Action button or enabled via Control Center.

Now, Apple has told Daring Fireball's John Gruber that Visual Intelligence is coming to the iPhone 15 Pro "in a future software update." Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 15 Pro doesn't have a Camera Control button, but Apple says the function will be able to be launched in the Control Center interface or via the Action button once the update drops.

Apple would not confirm whether the update in question is iOS 18.4, beta releases for which are expected any day now. But given that the iPhone 16e will become available to buy on February 28, iOS 18.4 seems like the most likely update that will bring Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro. Following yesterday's debut of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its website to indicate that iOS 18.4 will be released publicly in early April.

Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring.

There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category.

M4 MacBook Air

Apple plans to refresh the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models, updating them with more powerful M4 chips. Design changes are not expected, with the focus being on the chip refresh. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that new MacBook Air models are "coming soon," suggesting they are likely to arrive later in the spring. However, Apple's inventory of MacBook Air models is running low at its retail stores, indicating that refreshes for the devices could be just around the corner.

iPad Air

The iPad Air is set to get updated with either an M3 or M4 chip, and it could debut alongside a new lower-cost Magic Keyboard that Apple is developing for the more affordable iPad models. Some rumors have suggested the iPad Air will have the M3 chip that's a step behind the M4 in the iPad Pro, but Gurman said in January that Apple could opt for the M4 instead. A leaker who has provided reliable information in the past also said in January that the iPad Air 7 will use the M3 chip, not the M4 chip. No other major hardware or design changes are expected. Like new MacBook Air models, the iPad Air is said to be coming soon, according to Gurman.

Low-Cost iPad

Apple is believed to be working on an 11th-generation iPad with a faster chip and support for Wi-Fi 6E. The tablet is also expected to feature Apple's custom-designed C1 modem chip that just debuted in the iPhone 16e. Gurman has said the next low-cost iPad will use the A17 Pro chip – the same one that's in the iPhone 15 Pro models and the iPad mini 7. The A17 Pro chip supports Apple Intelligence, so presumably that means the new iPad will come with at least 8GB of RAM, which is the minimum requirement for Apple's suite of AI features. Apple's supply chain began shipments of the new devices in December, according to one report.

Smart Home Command Center

Apple is working on a new Home accessory that is designed to serve as a central hub or "Command Center" for smart home management. Apple's upcoming iPad-like smart home accessory could be released as soon as early 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman‌. However, he recently said that Apple might not be able to launch it until later in the year due to its reliance on features coming in iOS 18.4 and iOS 19. Kuo believes the device will not be released until the second or third quarter of 2025. In February, Gurman said that the smart home hub launch is "still months away."

Apple's first custom-designed modem chip, the C1, has finally made its debut in the iPhone 16e, which Apple announced on Wednesday. It's a significant milestone in the company's efforts to reduce reliance on external suppliers like Qualcomm. However, the C1 lacks support for ultra-fast mmWave 5G technology, and the chip's limitations are expected to extend to the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.

While touted by Apple as their most power-efficient cellular chip to date, the C1 modem currently supports only sub-6GHz 5G networks. This means users won't have access to the exceptionally fast speeds that mmWave technology can provide in specific locations such as stadiums, airports, and dense urban areas.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air will utilize the same C1 modem, suggesting it too will lack mmWave support. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to continue using Qualcomm modems, so they will retain access to the full spectrum of 5G capabilities, including mmWave.

The distinction between mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G is worth noting. While mmWave offers ultra-fast speeds at short distances, making it ideal for crowded urban environments, sub-6GHz 5G provides broader coverage with slower but still capable speeds. In many countries, sub-6GHz networks remain more prevalent than mmWave installations.

According to Gurman, Apple is already developing its second-generation 5G modem, which will include mmWave support. This improved chip is expected to debut in the iPhone 18 lineup in 2026, promising theoretical download speeds of up to 6 Gbps, which is a significant increase from the C1's reported 4 Gbps capability. In 2027, Gurman expects Apple to release its third-generation modem. Apple is apparently aiming for this modem to top Qualcomm's modems in terms of performance and AI features.

• iPhone 17 Air Design, Specs, and More: All the Rumors So Far

Apple's current agreement with Qualcomm extends through 2026, giving Apple ample time to perfect its modem technology while it has access to Qualcomm's modems for its premium iPhone models.

Smart home company Aqara today announced the global availability of its Camera Hub G5 Pro, which is designed specifically for outdoor surveillance. The G5 Pro integrates with the Apple Home app and it supports HomeKit Secure Video.

Available in two colors, the G5 Pro provides 2.6K Quad HD recording with True Color Night Vision that Aqara says provides clear images even at night. The True Color Night Vision feature supports 1520p resolution and offers a 133 degree field of view with an f/1.0 aperture that captures more light than traditional f/2.0 lenses.

A built-in neural processing unit allows for on-device AI object detection and sound detection, so the camera is able to analyze footage and alert homeowners of potential threats like an individual lingering or a stolen package, plus it can send alerts when the lens is obstructed and packages are detected. The AI can also be used to set up an automation that will deter intruders, and the camera has a 100-decibel speaker and a dimmable spotlight.

The G5 Pro is a Matter Controller, Thread Border Router, and it connects to Aqara Matter bridges, so it can improve smart home networking connectivity. Live and recorded video is end-to-end encrypted, and stored footage is synced to iCloud or Aqara's cloud services. It can also be set up to sync footage to a local NAS system.

Both Power-over-Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi are supported, with PoE offering an option for uninterrupted connection. With the on-device AI, the camera is able to record critical events and trigger automations even when the internet is out.

The Camera Hub G5 Pro is priced starting at $180 and it can be purchased from the Aqara website or from Amazon.

Apple never publicly advertises the amount of RAM included in iPhones, but MacRumors has confirmed that the iPhone 16e is equipped with 8GB of RAM.

Given the iPhone 16e supports Apple Intelligence, it was widely expected that the device would have 8GB of RAM, as that is the minimum amount of memory required for Apple Intelligence. All other iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models also have 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone SE that was replaced by the iPhone 16e is equipped with 4GB of RAM.

We confirmed the iPhone 16e's amount of RAM in Apple's developer tool Xcode, with assistance from MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

iPhone 16e pre-ordering begins this Friday at 5 a.m. Pacific Time in nearly 60 countries, and the device will launch on Friday, February 28.

With the launch of the new iPhone 16e, Apple discontinued the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE, eliminating the last two iPhone models that were equipped with a Lightning port.

Apple no longer manufactures any iPhones with a Lightning port, and all models in the iPhone lineup feature USB-C. Apple does still sell refurbished iPhones that use Lightning, but its main website and retail locations only offer iPhones with USB-C connectivity.

The new 16e has a USB-C port, as do the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models that Apple also sells. Apple started the transition away from Lightning with the iPhone 15 launch in 2023, and it has completed the move to USB-C in less than two years.

Apple has already overhauled the iPad lineup with USB-C, so Lightning is no longer used for any iPhone, ‌iPad‌, or Mac. Lightning has almost been phased out entirely, but Apple continues to sell the original Apple Pencil and some legacy cables that have Lightning connectors.

Apple will need to offer a small selection of Lightning-based accessories for a few years to come, but we are close to the full sunsetting of the Lightning port and connector.

Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch.

All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4.

Apple plans to make ‌Apple Intelligence‌ available in Chinese (Simplified), English (India, Singapore), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish language support with the April update, with more languages like Vietnamese coming later in 2025.

Apple hasn't yet released the first betas of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4, but we are expecting them any day now.

The April updates were supposed to include new ‌Apple Intelligence‌ Siri functionality, but Apple may need to delay the feature set to continue working out bugs.

Customers who purchase the new iPhone 16e will need to download a software update right after receiving the device to install the latest version of iOS 18.

The iPhone 16e models will ship with iOS 18.3, but Apple released iOS 18.3.1 on February 10, so new iPhone 16e buyers will need to install the iOS 18.3.1 update to migrate data from an older iPhone that is already running iOS 18.3.1.

iOS 18.3.1 didn't add any new features, but it does address a software vulnerability that Apple says was exploited in the wild.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 16e are set to begin this Friday, with a launch to follow on February 28.

The iPhone 16e is Apple's only iPhone with a single-lens rear camera, and while it has the same 48-megapixel Wide lens as the iPhone 16, it is lacking several of the ‌iPhone 16‌ camera features.

With the 48-megapixel Fusion lens, the iPhone 16e camera has a standard 1x field of view, and a 2x zoom option. It has no Telephoto lens, so there are no other zoom options, nor is there an Ultra Wide camera for wide-angle shots and macro images. Since there's just one lens, there's also no option for spatial image and video capture.

It offers the same True Tone flash, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion, and Smart HDR 5 options, but it does not support next-generation portraits with Focus Control or the latest Photographic Styles.

When taking Portrait shots, there is an option to adjust focus afterward, but there is no option to tap to change the subject of the photo like there is on the ‌iPhone 16‌.

The newer Photographic Styles are also only for the ‌iPhone 16‌, 16 Pro, and Pro Max. With Photographic Styles, the ‌iPhone 16‌ models released in September feature an option to set an overall look for all images captured with the iPhone camera, but this doesn't exist for the 16e. Older style filters are available, however.

There are also several missing video recording features, including Cinematic mode and Action mode, but the new Audio Mix feature is supported.

As for the front camera, the ‌iPhone 16‌ and 16e have an identical feature set with the exception of support for Cinematic mode, Photographic Styles, and Depth Control for Portrait shots.