The iPhone 17 will be the first iPhone to feature Apple's custom Wi-Fi 7 chip, promising superior speeds.
Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that all four iPhone 17 models will feature Apple’s first custom Wi-Fi chip. While he didn’t specify which version of Wi-Fi the chip will support, it’s likely Wi-Fi 7.
Four iPhone 17 models will be equipped with Apple's first custom Wi-Fi chip.
All four iPhone 17 models will use Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chips, according to Jeff Pu, an analyst who specializes in Apple supply chain research, who shared the information in a research note with GF Securities earlier this month.
The iPhone 16 series already supports Wi-Fi 7, so it's no surprise that the iPhone 17 continues that trend. However, Apple's in-house Wi-Fi chip design is noteworthy. The company recently introduced its own C1 modem for cellular connectivity in the iPhone 16e. Now, Apple is expected to introduce its own Wi-Fi chip in the iPhone 17 models later this year.
Designing its own connectivity chips would help Apple reduce and eventually eliminate its dependence on outside suppliers, such as Qualcomm for modems and Broadcom for Wi-Fi chips.
Wi-Fi 7 allows data to be transmitted over the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands simultaneously with a compatible router, providing faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more stable connections. Wi-Fi 7 chips can deliver peak speeds of up to 40 Gbps, four times that of Wi-Fi 6E, if the device supports the maximum specification.
