Apple Is Probably Planning to Make Its Own WiFi Chip For the iPhone 17

Apple rumors keep the world turning. Some people might say it’s gravity, but it’s Apple. Forget the Farmer’s Almanac; most farming relies on the iPhone release schedule. The iPhone 16e was revealed yesterday and brought a new future for Apple’s hardware, one where it makes all of its cellular chips. The iPhone 16e debuted the C1 modem, its first ever homemade, bespoke, perfectly spiced 5G chip. Reports today tell us that there are more chips on the way.

The iPhone 17, expected much later this year, is the next on the docket to show off Apple’s chip-making prowess. One of our favorite analyst-slash-tea-spillers, Ming-Chi Kuo, published the alleged details on Twitter/X:

Following Qualcomm, Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chips will also be replaced by Apple’s in-house chips at a faster pace. My latest industry survey indicates that all new 2H25 iPhone 17 models will feature Apple’s in-house Wi-Fi chips (vs. only the slim iPhone 17 will adopt Apple’s C1 modem chip). Beyond cost reduction, the switch to in-house Wi-Fi chips will enhance connectivity across Apple devices.

The rumor mill has taken off with this one to mean that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air (continually alleged until it exists!), and the rest of the line-up will rely on an Apple-made wifi chat to connect the devices. Kuo mentions that the new chip will “enhance connectivity across Apple devices.” No one is sure what that means, but you can bet it has to do with predictive computing or Apple’s play in the smart home. There have been rumblings that the Apple TV would get a major refresh this year, facilitating it even more as an all-in-one hub for the walled garden home.

Apple said the C1 chip was meant to bring significant battery gains to the iPhone 16e. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next wifi chip had some marketing tagline to show how the company can tweak every chip precisely as it needs and as the users ask. It wouldn’t have this kind of control over the specificity of its bragging rights if it were still contracting with another manufacturer for the 5G modem. Slowly, Apple is ensuring it’s at the helm of all the hardware that goes into its products. The iPhone 17 is likely to be one step closer to that.