Apple’s next phone, the iPhone SE 4, appears to be poised to be more than just a “budget iPhone” refresh. While Apple has not yet confirmed the details, multiple industry reports point to the company’s debut of its first in-house 5G modem—codenamed “Sinope.” The move would curb Apple’s dependence on its longtime partner Qualcomm and further tighten its vertical integration. This launch spotlights Apple’s shifting modem R&D strategy as well as the technical compromises in a first-generation baseband chip, and strategic implications for the broader 5G silicon market.
This shift marks an evolution in Apple’s silicon strategy. Apple, which is a significant R&D investor, started by single-sourcing Qualcomm modems (2011-2015) and then moved to a dual-supplier…