Macworld A new report shows Android phones outfitted with Qualcomm cellular modems outperforming the iPhone 16e with its own Apple C1 modem. Unfortunately, the limited nature of the tests, combined with the fact that it was commissioned by Qualcomm, means we can’t learn much from it. The tests were performed by Cellular Insights, and you can read the summary here or the full report here. The general summary of the results is that the Android devices had download speeds around 35 percent faster than the iPhone 16e, and upload speeds between 81 percent and 91 percent faster. That the report was paid for by Qualcomm, of course, makes it suspect, but there are other limitations worth noting. First, the report doesn’t let us know which Android phones were tested. It says one is “a 2025 flagship device powered by Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System priced at $799” and the other is “a 2024 flagship device powered by Snapdragon X75 5G Modem-RF System priced at $619.” That narrows it down somewhat, but it’s odd that the iPhone 16e is named (the only device with an Apple C1 modem after all) and the Android devices are kept somewhat secret. Second, the testing all took place in only three locations in a single small geographical area—the Astoria neighborhood in Queens, New York City. Even our own testing, which we noted was quite limited, managed to test five locations around the greater Sacramento area. Finally, the study exclusively used T-Mobile’s commercial SA 5G network. As with our own testing, which took place only on the Verizon network, looking at a single carrier (especially only in one neighborhood) captures only a very limited experience. A more extensive set of tests comes from Ookla, whose report back in March used data from many users across the country testing with its popular Speedtest app. That report captured the experience on all three major carriers, and interestingly, the gap between the iPhone 16 (using a Qualcomm modem) and the iPhone 16e (with the Apple C1) was widest on, you guessed it, T-Mobile’s network. So this test looks slightly suspect. Not only is it paid for by Qualcomm, but it pits the $599 iPhone 16e against unnamed Android phones, in just three locations of a single neighborhood, on the carrier in which Qualcomm’s modems just happen to outperform Apple’s by the widest margin. And it only tests upload and download speeds, not other aspects such as stability when moving within and between cell areas, latency, or power utilization. None of this means the report is false, but it gives the appearance of cherry-picking tests to get the results you want. Ultimately, there’s nothing of note here. The C1 modem was never meant to outperform Qualcomm’s best modems, only to provide a comparable experience to mid-tier products with good stability and lower power utilization. Apple’s future modems (C2 and C3, presumably) are expected to increase performance with each generation, ultimately with the aim of beating Qualcomm’s best offerings in 2026 or 2027.

Cutting corners: Now that Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S25 Edge, attention has turned to Apple's upcoming ultra-thin rival handset, the iPhone 17 Air. The device is expected to debut this fall with a thickness almost half that of a normal iPhone. According to rumors, this doesn't mean every element will have compromises, but there will be areas that could disappoint, especially the battery life. Samsung has made a lot of headlines with the release of the Galaxy S25 Edge, which measures just 5.8mm thick, not counting the camera bump. But Apple's iPhone 17 Air – expected to launch this fall – is said to be even thinner at 5.5mm. That level of thinness means the Air won't be able to match the model it's replacing, the iPhone 16 Plus, in every area. However, it will have a 6.6-inch OLED display with LTPO, making it the first non-Pro iPhone to do so. There will also be features such as 120Hz ProMotion and always-on functionality. Elsewhere, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to pack the same A19 chip as the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. It will also come with 8GB of RAM and MagSafe wireless charging. Finally, the price of the iPhone 17 Air is believed to be under $1,000, possibly around $899. But it was recently reported that Apple is going to increase the prices of its next generation of iPhones, though it will avoid blaming Trump's tariffs for the hikes, so this rumor may prove wrong. That's the good news. The bad news is that the iPhone 17 Air will have a single rear camera: a 48MP sensor with 2x optical zoom. Something else the iPhone Air will only have one of is a speaker. There will be a single, enhanced earpiece speaker as the phone is too thin for a second speaker to be placed at the bottom. // Related Stories Another potential disappointment is the iPhone 17 Air's lack of support for mmWave 5G. The handset will be one of the first iPhones to use Apple's in-house 5G modem, the C1. The iPhone 16 Plus uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon X75 5G modem, which supports mmWave 5G. Then there's what could be the biggest drawback of them all: the battery life. Reports state that between 60% and 70% of users will be able to use the handset for a full day on a single charge, whereas that figure is between 80% and 90% for other iPhones. Apple may use Apple Intelligence to improve the Air's battery life, and Cupertino plans to introduce a new battery case accessory specifically for the iPhone 17 Air.