Helping put the “phone” in iPhone is the modem and for Apple, the component is undergoing an important shift. The company has launched the iPhone 16e that also marks the debut of the Apple-designed modem called C1.

The modem is a critical component in a phone after the main processor, and it’s not easy to make.

It lets a mobile phone connect to cell towers in order to make calls and link up with the Internet. Apple started work on its own modem design several years ago. In 2019, the Cupertino headquartered company spent $1 billion to buy Intel’s modem business.

C1 offers fast and reliable 5G cellular connectivity and is being marketed as the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone. Together with Apple’s latest chipset, called A18, the C1 should help towards better battery life. Further, a homegrown modem can set the stage for slimmer phones.

The introduction of Apple Intelligence-powered iPhone 16e (comes with Face ID and Action Button) also brings to an end a design chapter. The iconic home button will no longer be a part of the iPhone’s journey. It was last included in 2022’s iteration of iPhone SE.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, touchscreen smartphone technology was new. The home button gave users freedom to explore their phone because there was always a way home when things went wrong.

“Apple iPhones enjoy a strong aspirational appeal within the Indian market. Therefore, strategic pricing of the phone positions it tocapture market share from competing Android devices within its price segment,” Abhilash Kumar, industryanalyst at TechInsights, told The Telegraph.

“The introduction of the phone is projected to significantly boost performance in the first half of the year. We forecast continued double-digit growth for Apple in India in 2025, along with a notable increase in market share.”

The entire iPhone 16 lineup is being assembled in India for Indian consumers and for export to select countries.