Apple's newest custom chip could be an own goal for the iPhone 17

Apple has designed its own processors in iPhones for well over a decade now, and it’s also working on its first in-house modem that will reportedly debut next year. Now, it sounds like the company could debut another custom chip in 2025.

Bloomberg reports that Apple will switch to a homegrown Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip next year, codenamed Proxima. This in-house chip will be manufactured by TSMC and is slated to replace chips made by Broadcom.

The new connectivity chip will apparently debut inside 2025 versions of the HomePod Mini and Apple TV as well as iPhones launching “later next year.” It’s unclear whether the chip will land in the new iPhone SE, although the mention of “later next year” suggests that it’ll appear in the iPhone 17 series. It’s also believed that the chip could land in the iPad and Mac lineup by 2026.

A downgrade compared to iPhone 16?

Sources told Bloomberg that the new chip might not be able to match up to Broadcom chips. In fact, the sources claimed the new chip will support Wi-Fi 6E, with no mention of Wi-Fi 7. A lack of Wi-Fi 7 support would be a step back from the iPhone 16 series if confirmed, as these handsets indeed support Wi-Fi 7.

Nevertheless, the outlet reckons that this approach could deliver more efficient connectivity and enable thinner iPhones and wearables. Both Qualcomm and MediaTek offer their own connectivity chips in recent flagship processors, boasting 40% and 50% power savings, respectively, over their previous efforts. Qualcomm’s own chip also bundles UWB connectivity. So don’t be surprised if Apple’s custom connectivity chips eventually see similar efficiency gains and extra features along these lines.