During the Mobile World Congress 2025, Qualcomm unveiled its new X85 5G modem with an integrated 5G AI processor and called out Apple's C1.

It has taken some time for Apple to release its first modem and it did so with the launch of the iPhone 16e last month. The cellular modem is called the C1.

At Mobile World Congress 2025, Qualcomm introduced its latest X85 5G modem. It’s fast, with peak speeds of 12.5 Gbps up and 3.7 Gbps down, and includes AI features to improve performance in areas with weak signals.

Qualcomm believes its latest X85 5G modem will set a "huge delta" between the performance of high-end Android devices and Apple

As reported, Apple's manufacturing deal with Qualcomm for 5G modems is set to last until 2027, so there's still a lot of time left for Apple to continue to use Qualcomm's modems i

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.

Daring Fireball ‘s John Gruber today says the answer is “no,” as he spoke with an Apple representative who confirmed that the new iPad Air and entry-level iPad models are not equipped with the C1 modem. Plus, MacRumors has viewed FCC documents that show that cellular models of both new iPads are equipped with a Qualcomm modem.

In many ways, the Apple C1—its first cellular modem—is the company’s most important product in years. Just as the company broke free from reliance on Intel with its own Mac processors, it is now breaking free from reliance on Qualcomm for cellular connectivity. Ditching Broadcom for its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is said to happen this year, too.

A new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that it will be 2026 before an updated version of the Apple C1 modem with mmWave will enter mass production.