Apple’s next big update will weaken the new iPhone 16

Two months before the launch, new leaks suggest that the upcoming iPhone SE could quickly surpass the upcoming iPhone 16. And it’s thanks to all the new hardware that Apple will make the cheapest new iPhone on the market.

Apple-analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also reports Apple expects to offer a 5G modem in its phones released in 2025. That means the new technology will be used in the iPhone 17 series. Kuo also noted that the fourth-generation iPhone SE, scheduled for release in early 2025, will also use the new modem.

Introducing new hardware on the iPhone, Apple’s closest thing to a budget modem, is a bold decision. This means that Apple will reduce the price of the new iPhone 16 six months after the launch.

The iPhone 16 is the iPhone SE’s closest competitor. Thanks to efforts to bring generative AI to the full range of new iOS devices, the iPhone 16 will feature the same Apple Silicon A18 chip as well as more memory to keep Apple Intelligence running smoothly. Apple’s AI won’t work on older devices, and the company expects Apple Intelligence to be a key differentiator that will boost sales of the new iPhone. It would be absurd for Apple to release the iPhone SE without Apple Intelligence support.

Last week there was news that Apple would unveil iPhone SE with OLED screenAgain, the SE is designed to match the specifications of the iPhone 16. Assuming it costs the same as the regular iPhone compared to the previous SE model, it would be hard to recommend the iPhone 16 as it will offer better value for money in the coming months.

Now see the benefits of equipping an iPhone with a 5G modem made by Apple. There will be tighter integration between hardware and software because there is no need for a universal chipset, no single phone platform, no modem, and no compromise or compatibility. There will be tighter integration into the software stack, giving the operating system complete knowledge of the only modem it will communicate with.

Just as Apple’s transition to silicon processors enabled greater performance, efficiency, and endurance, so too will the transition from Qualcomm modem technology to Apple technology.

iPhone 16 will not benefit from this feature and iPhone SE will be the first to benefit from it. And those who wait will be the first to discover a brave new world when Apple builds its own connectivity.

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