This 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.
Ending The Qualcomm Era
The 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 17e and iPhone Air which have the upgraded C1X modem.
It’s predicted that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will sport the next model, Apple C2, when they are unveiled in September (here’s full details of the predicted release date), and the iPhone 18 will also carry it. That’s expected to launch in spring 2027.
How Apple’s Modems Add Privacy
At the end of 2025, Apple introduced something called Limit Precise Location, a setting which changes how much data is available to carriers.
“Mobile networks determine your location using information from cellular towers that a device connects to, but with Limit Precise Location enabled, some of the data typically provided to mobile networks is restricted. Instead of seeing location down to a street address, carriers may be limited to the neighborhood where a device is located,” MacRumors said.
Carrier Support And Global Availability
Assuming the C2 chip is in the next crop of iPhones, users mostly still need carriers to support it. In May 2026, the number of carriers supporting the feature increased significantly, but there’s still further to go. In the U.S., just one carrier is on board, Boost Mobile, while in the U.K. there are now three: EE, BT and Sky. For these carriers, the feature is turned on by default with compatible hardware.
However, Apple has news: “With a SIM (physical or eSIM) from a carrier in the European Union or United Kingdom, you can turn this feature on,” the company said.
