New Delhi: On the eve of Apple’s much-anticipated Sept. 9 launch event, where the iPhone 17 lineup is expected, fresh analysis from Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence® provides insights into how Apple’s in-house C1 modem in the iPhone 16e compares with the Qualcomm modem in the standard iPhone 16.
India Findings: Jio and Airtel Showcase Qualcomm Advantage
In India, where 5G adoption has surged, the data highlights a clear pattern:
- Jio delivered the strongest performance, with the iPhone 16 recording a median download speed of 225.54 Mbps against the iPhone 16e’s 213.26 Mbps. At the higher 90th percentile, iPhone 16 users reached 501.53 Mbps, slightly ahead of iPhone 16e users at 494.40 Mbps.
- Airtel showed almost identical performance for everyday users, with median download speeds of 183.28 Mbps (iPhone 16) and 182.29 Mbps (iPhone 16e). However, the Qualcomm modem pulled ahead at the 90th percentile with 392.91 Mbps versus 368.23 Mbps on the C1.
- Vi India lagged significantly behind both Jio and Airtel, recording median speeds of 112.13 Mbps (iPhone 16) and 110.87 Mbps (iPhone 16e), with modest 90th percentile performance.
The results confirm that Jio’s advanced 5G SA deployment, which incorporates multi-band spectrum (700 MHz low-band, 3.5 GHz mid-band, and 26 GHz mmWave) alongside carrier aggregation and massive MIMO, is better suited to leverage the Qualcomm modem’s higher technical ceiling.
Global Takeaways: C1 Modem Holds Its Own
Globally, Speedtest data shows that Apple’s C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has delivered comparable performance to the Qualcomm-powered iPhone 16 across most markets.
- In Saudi Arabia, the iPhone 16 outpaced the 16e by a wide margin (353.49 Mbps vs. 295.01 Mbps).
- In contrast, the iPhone 16e edged ahead in Spain, delivering 139.88 Mbps compared to 110.38 Mbps for the iPhone 16.
- In the U.S., networks like T-Mobile highlighted the Qualcomm modem’s advantage, where four-carrier aggregation supported higher speeds (317.64 Mbps on iPhone 16 vs. 252.80 Mbps on iPhone 16e).
Interestingly, the iPhone 16e has proven stronger for users at the lower 10th percentile of speeds (typically those at the cell edge or in congested environments), suggesting Apple’s modem is optimized for coverage continuity. It has also shown better upload speeds in many markets, including Canada, where the iPhone 16e nearly doubled the iPhone 16’s performance.
The popularity of the iPhone 16e varies significantly across markets. Japan stands out, with the 16e accounting for 11.3% of all iPhone 16-series Speedtest samples, driven by a mix of subsidy structures, price sensitivity, and consumer preference for compact, lower-cost models.
What It Means Ahead of iPhone 17
The Indian data reinforces a broader global theme: Qualcomm modems still outperform Apple’s C1 on cutting-edge 5G networks, while the C1 shows competitive, and sometimes superior, performance in constrained or coverage-challenged conditions. With rumors that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air could adopt the C1 modem, the spotlight will intensify on whether Apple can close the performance gap on advanced 5G SA networks like Jio’s.
