Apple and Qualcomm's relationship has been strained for a decade and the iPhone 16e C1 chip is Apple's first move to cut ties once and for all.

Phone 17 5G modems will be made by MediaTek, as Apple moves away from Qualcomm. Future iPhones will use Apple's solutions instead.

One of the rumors was that MagSafe magnets wouldn't play nice with the Apple-made C1 modem and its cellular connectivity. It was suggested that Apple dropped MagSafe so that the company could ensure the 16e's connection.