iPhone 18: Apple To Change Key Phone Hardware After 15 Years, Report Says

InnovationConsumer TechiPhone 18: Apple To Change Key Phone Hardware After 15 Years, Report SaysByDavid Phelan,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about lifestyle techFollow AuthorMay 16, 2026, 06:00am EDTMay 16, 2026, 06:01am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryApple's upcoming iPhone 18 series, launching this September, is set to feature the company's proprietary C2 modem, ending its long-standing reliance on Qualcomm for mainstream devices. This integration will significantly expand the availability of a key privacy feature: "Limit Precise Location." Introduced in late 2025, this setting restricts data provided to mobile networks, preventing carriers from determining a user's exact street address and instead limiting their knowledge to a broader neighborhood. While carrier support for this feature is still developing, with Boost Mobile in the US and a few UK providers currently on board, Apple has confirmed that users with a SIM from an EU or UK carrier can enable this enhanced privacy protection.Show More iPhone 17: will the iPhone 18 series have an Apple modem?SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThis September, Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 series with its own-brand modem, marking the first time the technology will appear in a mainstream or Pro iPhone. In which case, a mostly overlooked privacy feature will suddenly be much more available. Here’s all you need to know. ForbesApple Releases iOS 26.5: New Update Adds Long-Awaited Feature For iPhoneBy David PhelanEnding The Qualcomm EraThe company has used Qualcomm modems in the iPhone since 2011 with one version of the iPhone 4, and more widely since. But there are three iPhones which have modems that Qualcomm didn’t make. Two are Apple’s budget “e” series — the iPhone 16e from spring 2025 with the C1 modem, and the iPhone...