iPhone 17 Slim and SE4 to bring in-house 5G chip: Kuo

Apple will shift gears to develop an in-house 5G chip and next year’s iPhone 17 Slim and SE4 could be the first devices to introduce this tech in public.

Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple has improved the speed to cut reliance on Qualcomm. There are two models selected to feature the new in-house 5G chip and the rest of them will continue Qualcomm’s solution.

Apple designs its own mobile SoC but the company sources 5G modem from Qualcomm, its long-time partner. Last September, both companies announced a new agreement for Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems. This agreement covers models launching from 2024 to 2026.

Simply put, Apple aims to use Qualcomm’s chip throughout the iPhone 18.

Prior to this agreement, Apple reportedly planned to launch its own modem with the iPhone 15 series. However, the plan changed due to some issues in its performance. Therefore, the iPhone maker is sticking with the modem company.

Unlike a full removal, the company will perform a phase-out. It means, the iPhone 17 Slim and SE 4 will bring a new modem. On the other hand, standard, Pro, and Pro Max will use Qualcomm’s 5G solution.

Based on the results from the two devices, the company will decide the future of its modem and make it universal or remain on Qualcomm for iPhone 18 in 2026. Amid this new report, Apple has published no statement about the development of its modem chip.

Check more information about the iPhone 17 Slim linked below.

iPhone 17 Slim Specifications Leaked: Display, Processor, Chipset and Camera