Sometimes the biggest clue about an unreleased iPhone comes not from Apple, but from one of its own suppliers. During an earnings call on July 29, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told Reuters that revenue from Apple products is set to drop faster than expected starting in Q4 — the same quarter the iPhone 18 lineup is due to launch. The reason, he said, isn’t a new Apple decision, but supply availability. Qualcomm’s share of components for the next iPhone is now projected to be well below its earlier forecast of 20%. The numbers are notable. Qualcomm expects its Apple-related chip revenue to fall by about 50% between the September and December quarters this year, a steeper decline than the company had modeled. Qualcomm’s phone chip business already fell 20% year-over-year last quarter to $5.09 billion, and Amon warned the current quarter could be weaker. Amon also made it clear where Qualcomm is refocusing. “We kind of replaced Apple with the data center,” he said, targeting $5 billion in data center revenue by fiscal 2027. On the call, he called it a deliberate move: “We are incredibly excited about the next chapter of Qualcomm. Our relevance in the next phase of AI and distributed intelligence from edge to cloud remains firmly focused on execution.” What This Means for the iPhone 18 Pro Modem Leaked supply chain documents, reportedly from a cyberattack on Apple partner Tata, previously suggested a split modem approach for iPhone 18 Pro: Apple’s own C2 modem in most regions, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 + SDR875 combo in US models to keep mmWave 5G support for US carriers. But Qualcomm’s updated forecast makes that split less likely. If Qualcomm’s total share across all iPhone 18 models is dropping below 20%, and only three models are launching in September, there may not be enough volume left for Qualcomm modems in the Pro and Pro Max. For Android users on devices like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, nothing changes. Samsung still uses Snapdragon modems with full mmWave support. What a C2-Only iPhone 18 Pro Could Mean If Apple moves to its own C2 modem across the Pro lineup, here’s what buyers could see: Better battery life: Apple’s in-house modems have shown stronger power efficiency, already used in iPhone Air and iPhone 17e. Limit Precise Location support: This iOS privacy feature currently only works with Apple-designed modems. mmWave 5G question: Apple’s earlier C1 and C1X modems didn’t support mmWave. Whether the C2 adds it remains the biggest unknown for US users. The Bigger Picture This fits Apple’s long-term plan to move away from Qualcomm, which started with its 2019 acquisition of Intel’s smartphone modem unit. Apple’s custom modems have so far shipped in iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, iPhone 17e, and iPads, but not in Pro models. Reports suggest Apple aims to beat Qualcomm on speed and AI performance by 2027. The rumored 20th-anniversary iPhone could be the first flagship US model with zero Qualcomm chips. Adding to the uncertainty: Qualcomm is raising modem prices from Sept 1 due to rising memory costs, and Apple’s patent licensing deal with Qualcomm expires in March 2027. Bottom Line Apple hasn’t confirmed anything, and we’ll likely have to wait for the September event. But Qualcomm’s own comments are a strong signal. If the C2 modem powers the entire iPhone 18 Pro range, expect better battery and privacy features, with mmWave 5G support for US models still unanswered. Post navigation Tensions Rise as PoK Votes in Second Phase Under Heavy Guard
