Apple's Self-Designed Modem, "Sinope": Launching in 2025 iPhone SE 4, a Five-Year Journey to Independence

Apple's Self-Designed Modem, "Sinope": Launching in 2025 iPhone SE 4, a Five-Year Journey to IndependenceBloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter, revealed that Apple's first self-designed modem chip, "Sinope," will debut in 2025, powering the new iPhone SE 4 and subsequently some iPad models. This news confirms Apple's long-standing strategy to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm, marking a crucial step in its chip development independence

Apple's Self-Designed Modem, "Sinope": Launching in 2025 iPhone SE 4, a Five-Year Journey to Independence

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, in his latest Power On newsletter, revealed that Apple's first self-designed modem chip, "Sinope," will debut in 2025, powering the new iPhone SE 4 and subsequently some iPad models. This news confirms Apple's long-standing strategy to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm, marking a crucial step in its chip development independence.

After more than five years of development, Apple is finally bringing "Sinope" to market. However, this first-generation modem still lags behind Qualcomm's current offerings in terms of performance. Reports indicate that Sinope currently only supports Sub-6GHz 5G bands, lacking mmWave 5G support, which limits its maximum speed and coverage in 5G environments. Furthermore, Sinope only supports four-carrier aggregation, while Qualcomm's latest modems support six-carrier aggregation, resulting in differences in connection speed and stability. Peak speeds for Sinope are approximately 4Gbps, significantly lower than comparable Qualcomm products.

Despite its performance limitations, the significance of "Sinope" extends far beyond raw speed. Gurman points out that the biggest advantage of Apple's self-designed modem is reduced dependence on Qualcomm, leading to substantial savings on licensing fees. This is crucial for Apple's long-term profitability and cost control, giving it greater autonomy and negotiating power against competitors.

More importantly, "Sinope" allows for tighter integration with Apple's hardware, leading to significant power consumption and efficiency improvements. This deep integration results in lower power consumption, more efficient network signal scanning, and enhanced satellite connectivity. This translates to an improved user experience, longer battery life, and more stable connections in areas with weak signals.

Technically, "Sinope" is manufactured by TSMC and incorporates Apple's designed Carpo radio frequency front-end system. Carpo aims to optimize the connection performance between the device and mobile networks, further improving connection stability and speed. Additionally, "Sinope" supports Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS) functionality and its SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) limits are managed by the device's SoC, ensuring user safety and health.

Gurman also revealed Apple's roadmap for future modem generations, showcasing its long-term planning and technical capabilities.

Second Generation (2026): Catching Up to Qualcomm, Feature Completion

The second-generation "Sinope," expected in 2026, will significantly improve performance, aiming to match Qualcomm's modems. It will support mmWave 5G, addressing the first-generation's 5G limitations, and improve coverage and speed. Furthermore, the second-generation "Sinope" will support six-carrier aggregation (Sub-6) and eight-carrier aggregation (mmWave), further enhancing connection speed and stability. This upgraded modem is expected to debut in the iPhone 18 series and expand to iPad Pro models in 2027.

Third Generation (2027): Surpassing Qualcomm, Expanding Functionality

Apple aims for the third-generation "Sinope" (expected in 2027) to surpass Qualcomm's offerings in performance. This would be a major breakthrough, signifying Apple's achievement of world-leading technology in this area. Beyond performance improvements, the third generation is planned to support "next-generation satellite networks" and AI-related features, enhancing connectivity and device intelligence. However, details regarding these features remain undisclosed, awaiting official announcements from Apple.

In conclusion, the launch of Apple's self-designed modem "Sinope" marks significant progress in its chip development endeavors. While the first generation lags behind Qualcomm in performance, its strategic importance is undeniable. By reducing reliance on Qualcomm, Apple gains greater cost control and market competitiveness. More importantly, Apple's detailed roadmap demonstrates its long-term commitment and ambition in this field. Over the coming years, the continued upgrades and iterations of "Sinope" will further enhance Apple's device connectivity and user experience, solidifying its leading position in the mobile market. Apple's ongoing efforts in self-designed chips also set an example for other tech companies, signaling a future of greater diversification and competition in the mobile chip industry. This signifies a major advancement in Apple's efforts to break free from core technology dependencies, boosting its global competitiveness and allowing it to better control its technological destiny and future direction. This move will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the entire mobile device industry and deserves continued observation.