Despite Qualcomm still powering most iPhones, including the incoming iPhone 17 series, Job’s Mob has already slipped its silicon into lower-tier models. The C1 modem, a custom 5G chip with sub-6GHz support, is already running in the iPhone 16e. The Tame Apple Press tells us it is big on battery life which means that it is slower than an asthmatic ant with a heavy load of shopping. 

The next phase of Apple’s cunning modem plan is not coming until 2026, when the C2 modem gets mmWave support, better carrier aggregation, and download speeds topping 6 Gbps. That’s when Apple will start taking proper swings at Qualcomm’s higher-end gear.

In 2027, the C3 modem, codenamed Prometheus, is tipped for a 2027 release with potential satellite connectivity and AI-powered signal tweaks. Job’s Mob is plotting a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip called Proxima, meant to replace Broadcom’s gear, likely starting in Apple TV and HomePod Mini before hitting iPhones.

The real coup comes in 2028, when Apple hopes to embed modem tech into its SoCs fully. That would lock out Qualcomm and give Cupertino total control over power budgets, thermal design, and supply headaches.

However, this is only if Apple can pull this off, and its slow roadmap suggests that it is not that confident. It also does not seem to factor in future developments that Qualcomm might be making that Apple would be dumb to ignore.

Qualcomm has no plans to roll over and let the Fruity Cargo Cult Apple chip away at its modem dominance. Its roadmap for the next two years is stacked with aggressive updates, starting with the freshly unveiled Snapdragon X85.

The X85, revealed at MWC 2025, is Qualcomm’s latest 5G Advanced modem with mmWave, carrier aggregation, and AI-assisted power management already baked in. It boasts speeds beyond 10 Gbps and power efficiency, making Apple’s undercooked C1 look like a potato battery. Expect it in top-tier Android devices from late 2025.

While Qualcomm is already shipping 5G Advanced-ready silicon, Jobs’ Mob is stuck prototyping features its rival already has in production. Until Cupertino gets its act together, Qualcomm will run laps around it in raw wireless tech.