What Apple's latest leak reveals about its 2026 iPhone strategy

Internal Apple code, inadvertently released in a macOS developer kit, has revealed key specifications for upcoming iPhones, detailing plans for Apple’s in-house cellular modems and hinting at a significant upgrade for the budget-friendly model.

The leak suggests Apple’s next-gen “iPhone 17e” expected in spring 2026, will be equipped with the company’s first generation “C1” or “C1X” cellular baseband.

This critical step in Apple’s long-term strategy to replace components from Qualcomm.

But, the code suggests this model will notably omit Apple’s “N1” wireless chip, a co-processor that handles ultra-low-power communication protocols.

Industry analysts suggest this omission could mean the iPhone 17e lacks support for the Thread smart home networking standard, even as it gains an Apple-designed modem.

In a separate report, it is also unveiled that iPhone 17e is also tipped to address a major user complaint from its predecessor. The model will reportedly gain full MagSafe support.

The previous iPhone 16e model supported standard Qi wireless charging but it is incompatible with Apple magnetic MagSafe ecosystem for charges and accessories.

With these features, the appeal of entry-level iPhones will significantly increase.

For the iPhone 18 Pro models, the internal code paints a picture of ongoing development decisions.

“C1X” and “C2” basebands are listed with the device suggesting that Apple has not finalized its model choices across all configurations at the time the code was compiled.

The code also suggests that the Pro models are slated to retain the N1 wireless chip.