C1 Baseband actual measurement network speed is poor, Qualcomm counters Apple’s "de-Qualcomm" with third-party reports

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, a study commissioned by Qualcomm (QCOM.US) found that its baseband chip outperforms the competing products developed by Apple (AAPL.US), especially for mobile users in densely populated urban areas.

According to the testing report from Cellular Insights, the first iPhone 16e equipped with Apple's self-developed C1 baseband underperformed in both upload and download speeds compared to Android devices using Qualcomm's solution in the T-Mobile 5G network environment in New York City. This study was funded by Qualcomm, and the complete report has been submitted to the media.

Apple has spent years developing the C1 chip to replace Qualcomm's products, which is part of its overall strategy to gradually replace supplier components with self-developed technology. As a core component of smartphones, baseband chips are responsible for connecting to cellular networks, enabling voice calls and mobile data functions.

The report pointed out that while the C1 chip performs adequately in ideal network conditions, it significantly lags in "application scenarios that should best demonstrate the advantages of the new generation of basebands." "For users in dense urban areas, indoor environments, or those requiring high-frequency uplink transmission, the superior 5G performance of Android devices is not just a theoretical advantage—its experience enhancement is quantifiable, reproducible, and practically significant."

An Apple spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Qualcomm's reference to the third-party report is essentially aimed at its important client. Over the years, Apple has contributed about 20% of Qualcomm's revenue, and prior to the release of the iPhone 16e this year, Qualcomm had been the exclusive supplier of basebands for Apple’s phones. However, Apple plans to gradually expand its self-developed baseband across its entire product line, ultimately replacing this long-time partner.

Qualcomm has warned investors that it expects baseband revenue from Apple to eventually drop to zero, but the company will compensate for this loss by expanding into new business areas.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the launch of the new device is progressing smoothly and praised the C1 chip as "the most energy-efficient baseband in iPhone history."

Research data shows that two Android models using Qualcomm's solution in the same price range have download speeds up to 35% faster and upload speed advantages reaching 91%. The performance gap further widens in cases of network congestion or weak signals.

The report also specifically mentioned that the iPhone "showed obvious heating and triggered a sudden drop in screen brightness" after a two-minute test, but it did not clarify whether consumers would perceive a decline in communication quality during regular use, nor did it address battery life and other metrics.

Baseband chips communicate with carrier networks via radio waves, converting signals into data and voice within the phone. While enhancing signals is a conventional means to improve connectivity, it can increase energy consumption.

Qualcomm has consistently emphasized that the difficulty of developing baseband technology far exceeds that of other chips. The company stated that its advantage lies in simulating complex network environments to ensure the chip operates stably under various conditions. Weather conditions, high-rise buildings, and network congestion can all affect the actual performance of the phone.

For Apple, the self-developed baseband is just the latest practice of its vertical integration strategy in technology. From Mac computers to the best-selling iPhone, its products are now fully equipped with self-developed processors, providing the company with stronger functional customization capabilities and cost control advantages