Apple is expected to announce its new iPhone SE next week, and the feature list looks compelling. But like previous SE models, almost all of the new iPhones tech has been seen before. Except for one new featureand its likely to fly under the radar. Heres why.iPhone SE 4 will show Apples dedication to controlling the full tech stackApple has a reputation for wanting to control its full technology stack.The company builds hardware, software, and services so the three can together create a seamless experience.And for hardware specifically, Apple designs its own chips rather than farming them out. This has long been the practice for iPhones and iPads, but only started with the Mac in 2020and Macs have benefited tremendously.For years, theres another piece of hardware Apple has sought to bring in-house: cellular modems.Right now, Qualcomm makes all of Apples 5G modems for iPhones and iPads.But starting with the new iPhone SE 4, the years-long project to build an Apple-designed modem will finally see the light of day.The new iPhone SE will be the first Apple device to feature an in-house 5G chip.But despite finally reaching the finish line of a lengthy project, Apple isnt likely to draw much attention to the new feature.Why the new 5G modem will fly under the radarCellular connectivity is an essential attribute of any iPhone.So while on one hand, Apple will no doubt celebrate its big achievement of replacing Qualcomm in its latest iPhonethis is also just the first step down a new path.Mark Gurman has reported that Apple actually has three in-house cellular chips in the works:for 2025, this first 5G modem wont support mmWave, has reduced download speeds compared to Qualcomms and four-carrier aggregation rather than sixin 2026, however, a second modem should offer feature parity with Qualcommsand in 2027, Apple expects to actually top Qualcomms performanceApple will almost certainly mention its in-house modem in the iPhone SE 4 announcement. But if its more than just a passing nod, Ill be very surprised.Why?Because the new modem will technically be inferior to whats available in the iPhone 16 flagships.But even if Apple is able to offset those drawbacks with special optimizations of its own, theres still another good reason not to draw too much attention to that.That reason? This falls iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will not have Apples new modem, but instead are sticking with Qualcomm.Apple wont upstage its flagship iPhone 17 Pro with the budget iPhone SEIf Apple puts a big spotlight on its new in-house modems debut, and spends much time highlighting its strengths, it could make for an awkward iPhone 17 launch in September when the most expensive models dont include this cutting-edge tech.For these reasons and more, I expect Apple to acknowledge the new 5G modem in the iPhone SE 4, but not take its victory lap just yet.Next year, when the second-generation modem debuts and is included in all new iPhones, and with more advanced featuresthen, and only then, do I expect Apple to tell us all the reasons why its modem is so great.Do you think Apple will give much attention to its new modem in the iPhone SE 4? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel