iPhone: iOS 26.3 reveals Apple's modem strategy Apfelpatient

With iOS 26.3, Apple introduces a new feature focused on protecting user location data. Specifically, it addresses what information mobile networks are allowed to use to determine an iPhone's location. While the feature initially appears to be a minor detail within a larger update, it actually provides a clear indication of how the iPhone is expected to evolve in the coming years.

The real key lies less in the function itself, but in the technology behind it. For the first time, an iOS function is directly tied to an Apple-designed cellular modem.

Apple's relationship with cellular modems

Since the iPhone's inception, Apple has almost exclusively relied on Qualcomm for its cellular modems. There was a brief period of collaboration with Intel, but this was relatively short. Qualcomm remained the primary supplier of modem hardware for the iPhone for many years.

In parallel, however, Apple had been working on its own modems for quite some time. This project remained largely invisible to the public until February of last year, when the iPhone 16e was released. It was the first iPhone with an Apple-designed modem, the so-called C1 chip.

In September, the iPhone Air followed, featuring the further developed C1X modem. Shortly afterward, Apple also launched the M5 iPad Pro, likewise equipped with its own modem. This means there are currently three devices in the product line that no longer rely on Qualcomm technology.

The reasons for this move are also business-related. Apple and Qualcomm have had a difficult relationship for years. In 2017, Apple sued Qualcomm for approximately one billion US dollars. Although a settlement was reached on the first day of the trial in 2019, the underlying tension remained.

iOS 26.3 and the new location feature

With iOS 26.3, Apple introduces the "Limit Precise Location" feature. This allows users to reduce the amount of data that mobile carriers can use to determine their location, preventing them from receiving more precise information than necessary.

iOS 26.3 Restrict precise location — Image: Apfelpatient

From a data protection perspective, this is a clear advantage. Less information shared means less insight into movement profiles and location histories. The function is not only aimed at mobile network operators, but fundamentally at any unnecessary sharing of sensitive location data.

The crucial point, however, is a limitation: This feature is only available on devices equipped with an Apple-branded modem. iPhones with Qualcomm modems do not support it.

Why this feature is important for the iPhone

The new location option isn't interesting because it's particularly spectacular. Rather, it's the first visible feature that exists solely because Apple developed its own modem hardware.

This demonstrates for the first time the concrete advantage Apple gains from complete control over hardware and software. Apple is no longer bound by the development cycle or technical specifications of an external modem manufacturer. Instead, the modem can be specifically tailored to iOS.

The comparison to the switch from Intel processors to Apple Silicon in the Mac is obvious, even if the implications are less significant. With the iPhone, it's not about a performance leap, but rather about finer optimizations and new possibilities at the system level.

iOS 26.3 restricts location data for network operators

Potential advantages of owning your own modem

The use of proprietary modems brings several fundamental improvements to the iPhone. These include, among others:

better integration of cellular functions in iOS
more efficient use of the radio connection
potentially longer battery life
more scope for new data protection and system functions

It's currently impossible to say what specific features will follow. However, it's clear that iOS 26.3 is just the beginning and Apple will continue down this path.

The transition to Apple's own modems in the iPhone

Currently, Apple only uses its own modems in a few devices. These include the iPhone 16e, the iPhone Air, and the M5 iPad Pro. Other models, including the iPhone 17 Pro, continue to rely on modems from Qualcomm.

However, it is considered likely that this will change with the iPhone 18 Pro. Once the entire iPhone product line is equipped with Apple's own modems, new features can be rolled out much more widely.

Only then will it become clear what potential Apple's modem strategy truly holds.

iOS 26.3 as a quiet turning point for the iPhone

iOS 26.3 doesn't introduce any major new features that fundamentally change the iPhone. Nevertheless, the update marks an important step. The new ability to restrict precise location tracking is less of an endpoint and more of a signal.

Apple is beginning to highlight the advantages of its own modem hardware. Once this technology is integrated into all iPhone models, new features, improved efficiency, and greater control over sensitive data are likely to become much more prominent. The best products for you: Our Amazon storefront offers a wide selection of accessories, including those compatible with HomeKit. (Image: Apple)

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