The next iPhone and Apple TV models will have a common new feature, according to rumors.
All four iPhone 17 models coming later this year will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, according to Apple supply chain analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu. A new Apple TV is also expected to be released this year, and it will also have an Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
This means the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the next Apple TV should all support Wi-Fi 7.
The entire iPhone 16 lineup already supports Wi-Fi 7, so the spec is not much of a surprise for iPhone 17 models, but the fact that the chip will be designed by Apple is notable. Last month, Apple debuted its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e, for cellular connectivity like 5G and LTE, and now the company is expected to make its own Wi-Fi chips too. By designing more of its own chips, Apple can reduce and eventually eliminate its reliance on external suppliers, including Qualcomm for modems and Broadcom for Wi-Fi chips.
The upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 would be notable for the Apple TV, as the current model supports Wi-Fi 6.
Wi-Fi 7 allows for data transmission over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, with a compatible router, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 can provide peak speeds of over 40 Gbps, a 4× increase over Wi-Fi 6E, provided a device supports the maximum specifications.
iPhone 17 models will launch in September, and the new Apple TV is expected before year's end.
