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

Two months before its launch, new leaks suggest that the upcoming iPhone SE could quickly outperform the upcoming iPhone 16. All thanks to the new hardware that Apple will include in the cheapest new iPhone on the market.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo Report Apple expects to introduce a 5G modem in its phones that will be released in 2025. This means that the iPhone 17 series will use the new technology. Kuo also mentioned that the fourth-generation iPhone SE, scheduled to launch in early 2025, will also use the new modem.

Releasing new devices on the closest iPhone to the budget modem Apple has ever made is a bold move. It means Apple will cut the price of the new iPhone 16 six months after its launch.

The iPhone 16 is the closest competitor to the iPhone SE. Thanks to the effort to bring generative AI to the entire lineup of new iOS devices, the iPhone 16 will run on the same Apple Silicon A18 chip as well as increased memory to allow for smooth operation of Apple Intelligence software. Apple’s AI won’t run on older devices, and the company hopes that Apple Intelligence software will be a key differentiator that will drive sales of the new iPhones. It would be inconceivable for Apple to launch the iPhone SE without Apple Intelligence support.

Last week, there were reports that Apple would introduce iPhone SE with OLED displayAgain, the SE is designed to match the specs of the iPhone 16. Assuming it’s priced similarly to previous SE models compared to the regular iPhone, it would be hard to recommend the iPhone 16 knowing that there’s better value for money coming in a few months.

Now, consider the benefits of equipping every iPhone with an Apple-designed 5G modem. There would be a much tighter integration between hardware and software, with no need for a universal chipset, no need for a single phone platform, no need for any compromises or compatibility. There would be a much tighter integration across the software stack, giving the operating system a sophisticated knowledge of the only modem it will ever communicate with.

Just as the move to Apple Silicon processors allowed for greater performance, efficiency, and endurance, the same will happen with the move from Qualcomm modem technology to Apple’s own technology.

The iPhone 16 won’t benefit from this feature, and the iPhone SE will be the first to benefit. Those who wait will be the first to find a brave new world when Apple creates its own connection.

Now read the latest iPhone, Maps, and Mac headlines in Forbes’ weekly Appe summary…