iPhone SE 4 May Get Apple's Own 5G Modem, Slower Upload And Download Speeds

Apple iPhone SE 4 is likely to make a significant shift in the company's modem strategy, though at the cost of slow download and upload speeds, according to a new report. The "budget-friendly" iPhone SE 4, anticipated to launch on February 19 (tomorrow), will be the first iPhone to feature Apple's own 5G modem, as per South Korean publication Donga.

This move aligns with famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's earlier predictions that Apple would gradually phase out third-party modems, beginning with its more affordable devices before potentially expanding to its flagship lineup.

The new modem, manufactured by TSMC, will lack support for mmWave 5G technology, thus, resulting in slower data transfer speeds compared to both the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup and competing devices equipped with Qualcomm's X75 modem.

This will be major step in Apple's long-standing effort to reduce dependency on external chip suppliers like Intel and Qualcomm. 

While the company initially planned to debut its in-house modem with earlier flagship models, including the iPhone 14 and 15 series, technical roadblocks delayed these plans.

The South Korean media outlet also reported that Apple's strategy now begins with introducing their proprietary modem technology in the more modest iPhone SE 4. 

This could be followed by implementation in the purported iPhone 17 Air/Slim, expected to launch in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025.