In recent years, Apple has regularly appeared that Apple was busy developing their own adapted 5G modems for their future iPhone models. Although at the end of 2023 it seemed that Apple had stopped with these developments, we can still expect the first smartphones with Apple’s 5G modems in 2025.
The modems are fully designed by Apple and perfectly tailored to their devices. This makes them not only faster and more efficient, but also more energy efficient. The iPhone SE 4th generation will probably be the first iPhone with this type 5G modem.
Perhaps not Apple 5G modemchips
Earlier, various reports indicated that Apple would develop its own custom 5G modems for their future iPhone models. This would be logical, since every part that Apple designs tailor -made is better optimized for both the hardware and the software.

A good example of this are Apple’s own processors that they use in their products. Since the arrival of Apple Sillicon for Mac, the performance of these computers has only improved and the M-chips have been a great success.
Apple can also achieve a similar advantage with the development of their own 5G modem chips for iPhone that will eventually replace the Qualcomm modems.

Problems with developments
According to Mark Gurman van Bloomberg, Apple has experienced problems in recent years when developing a 5G modem. Which have never been announced, but everything pointed out that the goals of the company were too ambitious considering several unworkable prototypes.
Collaboration extends
It became clear in 2023 that Apple and Qualcomm have extended their collaboration for the use of the fashion chips for iPhones by three years. For the Apple phones that come out up to and including 2026, the Snapdragon modems from Qualcomm can still be used.
Availability 5G modem from Apple
According to different sources, the iPhone SE 4th generation would be the first to contain a 5G modem from Apple. The second smartphone would be the iPhone Air that is expected in the autumn of 2025. According to Ming-Chi Kuo Is this a conscious choice of Apple. These devices are sold in a lower edition so that the production of their modem does not yet have to run at full speed.
MacBook with 5G
In addition to developing its own 5G modem, Apple also investigates whether they can bring 5G support to the MacBook series. We may expect MacBooks in the future that can connect to the data network. An option that should have been added a few years ago.