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On the eve of Apple’s Sept. 9 launch event where the company is expected to debut a new generation of iPhone devices, we compared the C1’s performance in the iPhone 16e to the iPhone 16.

Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, its first smartphone featuring its new Apple-designed C1 modem, last February. After just a few weeks on the market, we analyzed the performance of the new device in the U.S. market and compared it to the performance of the iPhone 16, which has a similar design and screen size. 

Fast-forward six months and we are expanding our analysis of Apple’s C1 modem performance in the iPhone 16e, in advance of the company’s highly anticipated debut of its next generation of iPhone devices, including the iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to possibly include the C1 modem. 

Using Ookla Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q2 and Q3 2025, we analyzed the performance of the iPhone 16e and compared it to the performance of the iPhone 16 on 5G, across a range of markets where we’ve seen significant uptake of the newer device. We compared the performance of these two devices because the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e have a similar design and the same 6.1” screen, with the inclusion of the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e being a key difference. 

Key Takeaways

• The iPhone 16e with the Apple C1 modem performs similarly to the iPhone 16 with the Qualcomm modem in the vast majority of markets we examined. Based on median download speeds, the iPhone 16 saw its widest winning margin in Saudi Arabia, recording 353.49 Mbps to the 16e’s 295.01 Mbps. At the other end of the scale, in Spain the 16e led with a median of 139.88 Mbps, to the iPhone 16’s 110.38 Mbps.
• The iPhone 16 with Qualcomm modem performs better on more capable mobile networks that have a 5G standalone (SA) footprint supporting higher carrier aggregation combinations and uplink MIMO technology. The iPhone 16e with the C1 modem is not able to achieve the same frontier of performance in these markets due to its technical limitations. Key examples of networks facilitating stronger performance for the iPhone 16 include those in Saudi Arabia, China, India and the U.S..
• In the U.S., T-Mobile users experienced better performance on the iPhone 16, which supports four-carrier aggregation, than iPhone 16e users with the Apple C1 modem, which supports a maximum of three-carrier aggregation. Median download speed for the iPhone 16 on T-Mobile’s network was 317.64 Mbps, compared to 252.80 Mbps on the iPhone 16e. Ookla RootMetrics® controlled testing in the US during 1H 2025 showed that T-Mobile’s network used four-carrier aggregation across 65.4% of locations tested, giving the iPhone 16 a distinct advantage on its network.
• The fact that the iPhone 16e performs comparatively, or even ahead in some markets, vs the iPhone 16, indicates that some networks are a bottleneck for Qualcomm’s more advanced modem. We expect the iPhone 16’s performance  to outpace the 16e over time as more networks incorporate higher levels of carrier aggregation on 5G SA, as well as advanced MIMO with 5G Advanced, across both downlink and uplink.
• The iPhone 16e performs strongly on other key performance metrics. Across the markets analyzed, it tended to record better download speeds among the 10th percentile of users (those with the lowest overall download speeds), and across 10th, median and 90th percentiles for upload speeds. At the lower 10th percentile it’s likely that more users are connected solely to low-band spectrum (sub-GHz) which offers better coverage but slower speeds. This may indicate that the C1 is better optimized for robustness and continuity, squeezing out higher throughput when coverage is marginal.

iPhone 16e’s popularity differs around the globe

United States | India | Saudi Arabia | Japan | France

There are five models in Apple’s iPhone 16 generation of smartphones — the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and the more recently launched iPhone 16e. Based on a segmentation of each model using Speedtest data from Q2 – Q3 2025, we see strong variation in the number of Speedtest users of the iPhone 16e vs. Speedtest users of the rest of the iPhone 16 generation.

Japan stands out as the most popular market for the iPhone 16e, with 11.3% of samples from the 16 lineup, followed chiefly by European markets. Adoption of the iPhone 16e depends on a range of factors, including the level of subsidies within a market and to which devices they are directed, level of price sensitivity among consumers, as well as launch timing, and consumer preferences for different form factors and device features.

The combination of these factors likely explains the relatively higher 16e penetration observed in Japan. Beyond the historic appetite for lower-cost, compact iPhones like the SE (to which the 16e is a spiritual successor) and a subsidy structure that favors entry variants, the recent weakness of the yen has made the Pro and Pro Max models more expensive in local terms, prompting elastic buyers (like students and families) to shift down the line-up.

iPhone 16 beats the 16e in markets with more capable 5G networks

The iPhone 16 surpasses the iPhone 16e in median download speed in 12 of the 21 markets we analyzed. Some notable markets where the iPhone 16 performed the strongest  — Saudi Arabia and China — are known for having some of the most advanced mobile networks. China has widely deployed standalone 5G (SA) and also 5G Advanced.

iPhone 16e delivers better performance to the 10th percentile 

The iPhone 16e stands out for its performance with the 10th percentile of users (those who experience the weakest performance), typically observed at the cell edge or during times of congestion. In 15 of the 21 markets we examined, the iPhone 16e performs better in 10th percentile download speeds than the iPhone 16. It’s likely that a greater share of these Speedtest samples were taken by users connected solely to low-band 5G spectrum, which in the absence of mid-band spectrum, will negate some of the advantages the iPhone 16 achieves through higher levels of carrier aggregation.

Upload speed a winner for iPhone 16e 

The iPhone 16e outperforms the iPhone 16 in median upload speed in 15 of the 21 markets we examined. Canada is perhaps the most dramatic example where iPhone 16e median upload speeds of 23.91 Mbps are more than double the iPhone 16’s median upload speed of 11.57 Mbps. 

However, once again we saw the iPhone 16 perform strongly in median upload speed in countries with advanced 5G networks such as Saudi Arabia and China.  Although in the US market the iPhone 16e outperformed the iPhone 16 in upload speeds, when we drilled down further (see the US section of this report), we found that upload performance varied between the different operators.

United States

iPhone 16 beats the iPhone 16e in download speeds at T-Mobile and Verizon

The iPhone 16 performs better than the iPhone 16e in median download speed for T-Mobile and Verizon customers. This is a slight change from our March 2025 analysis when the iPhone 16e performed better for Verizon customers than the iPhone 16. Because the iPhone 16 supports mmWave spectrum and mmWave is part of Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service, it’s likely that this is a contributing factor in the iPhone 16’s better performance on the Verizon network.

However, Verizon users on the iPhone 16 only clocked a median download speed of 172.12 Mbps, which is significantly lower than iPhone 16 users on T-Mobile’s network that logged a median download speed of 317.64 Mbps.

As we noted in our March analysis, the stronger performance of the iPhone 16 relative to the 16e, is likely due to T-Mobile being the only US carrier with a nationwide commercialized 5G standalone network (SA) and its deployment of advanced features such as carrier aggregation (CA) on the 5G SA architecture. 

Ookla RootMetrics® data, based on controlled testing across the US shows that T-Mobile used four-carrier aggregation across more than 65% of its network during 1H 2025, up from just over 53% in 2H 2024 – this trend is likely to continue, and will further strengthen performance for the iPhone 16 over time. At the same time, AT&T has ramped up its use of two-carrier aggregation, which both devices can take advantage of, while Verizon has expanded its use of two-carrier aggregation, and has started to incorporate three-carrier aggregation. Performance also depends on the bandwidth being aggregated – in the case of AT&T, with 2 carriers, it utilized 120 MHz on average. For Verizon, with 3 carriers it utilized 170 MHz, while T-Mobile, with 4 carriers, hit 217 MHz.

Qualcomm’s mid-tier modems support 4CA downlink carrier aggregation and its more recent top-of-the line X80 and X85 modems support 6CA downlink carrier aggregation (providing up to 400 MHz of sub-6GHz bandwidth). By contrast, the C1 supports just 3x downlink carrier aggregation (providing up to 160 MHz of sub-6GHz bandwidth). Qualcomm’s mid-tier, X80 and X85 modems also support uplink carrier aggregation and uplink MIMO and the Apple C1 does not.

iPhone 16e stronger in upload speeds at AT&T and Verizon

When comparing the median upload speeds of the iPhone 16 and 16e across US providers there’s a much different story than when comparing median download speeds. On Verizon’s and AT&T’s networks the iPhone 16e outperforms the iPhone 16 in upload speeds. Verizon iPhone 16e users experienced median upload speeds of 11.51 Mbps compared to Verizon iPhone 16 users that logged median upload speeds of 9.67 Mbps. Likewise, AT&T iPhone 16e users experienced median upload speeds of 8.47 Mbps compared to iPhone 16 users with median upload speeds of 7.09 Mbps.

Instead of seeing the iPhone 16 outperform the iPhone 16e at T-Mobile, the two devices are nearly equal in median UL performance with 16e users seeing median upload speeds of 11.79 Mbps compared to iPhone 16 users with 11.70 Mbps. These results are very similar to what we uncovered in our March 2025 report where we saw clear differences in the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 performance for AT&T and Verizon users but nearly equal performance for T-Mobile users. 

iPhone 16e surpasses the iPhone 16 among the 10th percentile

One area where the iPhone 16e shines is among users in the 10th percentile (those with the lowest overall download speeds), with iPhone 16e users on all three networks experiencing better performance than iPhone 16 users.

The results were most apparent with AT&T and T-Mobile customers. AT&T iPhone 16 customers in the 10th percentile experienced download speeds of 13.22 Mbps compared to iPhone 16e users that logged download speeds of 21.63 Mbps. Likewise, T-Mobile 10th percentile customers with the iPhone 16e clocked download speeds of 37.64 Mbps compared to their counterparts with the iPhone 16 that had download speeds of 30.20 Mbps. Verizon’s 10th percentile users on both the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e had nearly the same download speeds of 26.45 Mbps and 26.82 Mbps, respectively. 

These results are very similar to what we first uncovered in our March 2025 report. Studying performance at the 10th percentile is important because it often provides a more insightful assessment of a network’s impact on user quality of experience, highlighting performance in poorer RF locations, which is often missed if focusing solely on other metrics such as the median performance. 

India

Jio’s 5G SA network takes full advantage of the iPhone 16’s advanced features 

In the Indian market the iPhone 16e outperforms the iPhone 16 on Vi’s network. However, similar to T-Mobile in the US,  Airtel and Jio’s more capable 5G networks, highlight the impact of higher levels of carrier aggregation for the iPhone 16, allowing them to join more spectrum bands for more bandwidth overall. This is apparent for the median user on Jio’s network. Jio operates a 5G SA network and uses a multi-band strategy using 700 MHz spectrum for its low-band 5G and 3.5 GHz for its mid-band 5G. Jio also operates some mmWave spectrum in the 26 GHz for its 5G SA deployment and  incorporates massive MIMO and carrier aggregation features to optimize its mid-band and low-band 5G coverage. 

At the upper 90th percentile, for users achieving the top 10% of speeds, Jio continues to see a lead for the iPhone 16, and Airtel follows suit —highlighting that in certain locations on its network, it is able to aggregate additional spectrum bands to support faster performance. Vi on the other hand shows very similar performance between both devices, at both the median and 90th percentile.

Saudi Arabia

More advanced Saudi Arabian networks drive improved performance for iPhone 16

Saudi Arabia exhibited the largest lead for the iPhone 16 over the iPhone 16e, based on median download speed. Within the market, stc and Zain, which have both implemented 5G Advanced, show significant leads for the iPhone 16, pointing to higher levels of carrier aggregation. For stc, in particular, this gap increased at the 90th percentile, with the iPhone 16 over 200 Mbps faster than the iPhone 16e. The Saudi Arabian regulator, the CST, has been very proactive in licensing additional spectrum to the network operators, with both stc and Mobily recently acquiring an additional 100 MHz in the 3.8 GHz band , to add to existing 100 MHz assignments in the 3.5 GHz band.

Despite the lead for the iPhone 16 on download speeds, the iPhone 16e fared better on median upload speeds, with stc and Mobily seeing the largest differences. This was also apparent at the 90th percentile, with all three mobile operators seeing faster upload performance for the 16e.

Japan

iPhone 16e consistently delivers in download performance

Japan topped our list of markets with the most iPhone 16e use, based on Speedtest samples, with over 10% of total samples for the entire iPhone 16 range. The relative success of the iPhone 16e in Japan reflects demand for small form factor devices in the market – the iPhone SE (3rd generation) was equally popular in the market upon its launch in 2022. 

The iPhone 16e leads the iPhone 16 in median download performance across three of Japan’s mobile operators. iPhone 16e users on DoCoMo’s network experienced the greatest difference in performance clocking in with a median download speed of 135.56 Mbps compared to iPhone 16 users with download speeds of 111.04 Mbps. The same trend was observed for median upload speeds, with all four mobile operators seeing stronger performance for the iPhone 16e versus the iPhone 16.

Three of the four operators have fully deployed 5G SA networks and the fourth operator, Rakuten, operates a fully virtualized cloud-native 5G network, and is in the process of upgrading it to 5G SA. All three 5G SA networks use carrier aggregation and DoCoMo was one of the first to offer sub-6GHz carrier aggregation for its 5G network. 

However, the Japanese government has pushed mobile operators to give a priority to expanding 5G coverage beyond the urban areas and has even implemented certain coverage goals (97% of the country by the end of fiscal 2025 and 99% of the country by fiscal 2030). Because of this the Japanese operators have been more focused on prioritizing the expansion of 5G coverage over amplifying headline network speeds.

This focus on coverage has positively impacted the lower 10th percentile of download and upload speeds in Japan. SoftBank in particular shows strong performance at the 10th percentile for download speeds, with the iPhone 16e delivering 34.59 Mbps, and the iPhone 16, 19.34 Mbps. On 10th percentile upload speeds, Rakuten edges ahead with 7.12 Mbps for the iPhone 16e, and 3.78 for the iPhone 16.

France

Median performance parity for the iPhone 16e and 16, but outcomes differ on SA-rich Free

There is relative performance parity at the median for download speed across the iPhone 16e and 16 in France, suggesting the day-to-day experience is similar for most users irrespective of modem. The notable exception to this pattern is on Free’s network, where the iPhone 16e delivered median speeds that were as much as 11% below the iPhone 16. Similar to other global leaders, Free’s footprint has leaned heavily on 700 MHz 5G and has been first with national SA (3.5 GHz) coverage.

iPhone 16e tops iPhone 16 across every operator at the 10th percentile

Similar to the prevailing global trend, the iPhone 16e performs notably better at the 10th percentile of download speeds in France, with a material lead over the iPhone 16 across all operators except SFR. Nationally, speeds were on average 22% higher on the lower end for the 16e, with a difference over 30% compared to the iPhone 16 on Free and Orange’s networks. This suggests the C1 modem is squeezing out more throughput at the cell edge from low-band SA or NSA where one or two layers is active. 

The iPhone 16 wins the peaks on three of four French networks based on 90th percentile download speeds, consistent with a broader, more mature carrier aggregation feature mix compared to the 16e driving better frontier performance. Narrower carrier aggregation combinations or a tendency to enter SA more readily (thus losing the “extra lanes” provided by non-standalone that combines 4G and 5G spectrum) where LTE anchor capacity is lost may be playing a role in pulling down the 16e’s headline speeds across Free, Orange, and SFR.

Apple carefully managing performance across its smartphone range

Based upon six months of Speedtest data, it’s clear that Apple’s decision to diversify its modem selection within its iPhone device lineup is resulting in slightly different performance between the iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 on different operator networks. 

But if Apple is looking for consistency across all its devices, then it’s likely that these differences that we have noted in this report will play a role in Apple’s choice of modems for future devices.  

Apple also is reportedly developing its own Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chipset to use instead of the Broadcom chipsets it has used in its current devices. The company is expected to incorporate this new Wi-Fi chipset into future devices to have better control over performance and battery usage.  

Similar to our continued monitoring of the C1 modem, we will be watching Apple’s planned introduction of its new Wi-Fi chipset to see if it has any impact on Wi-Fi performance.

Ookla analyst Luke Kehoe and editorial director Sue Marek contributed to this piece. 

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