Ookla said Speedtest results show that AT&T and Verizon users experienced better download speeds on the iPhone 16e than the iPhone 16, while T-Mobile users saw the opposite trend.
Verizon users had lower median download speeds compared to AT&T and T-Mobile. In terms of upload speeds, iPhone 16e users on Verizon and AT&T saw better performance than those on the iPhone 16, whereas T-Mobile users had slightly higher upload speeds on the iPhone 16.
Download speed
Speedtest data reveals that the iPhone 16e achieved faster download speeds than the iPhone 16 on AT&T and Verizon but was significantly slower on T-Mobile. iPhone 16e users on T-Mobile recorded 264.71 Mbps, at least 47 percent faster than Verizon users (140.77 Mbps) and closer to AT&T users (226.90 Mbps).
However, on T-Mobile, the iPhone 16 outperformed the iPhone 16e by at least 24 percent, with a median speed of 357.47 Mbps. The performance gap is likely due to T-Mobile’s advanced 5G standalone network and the iPhone 16e’s C1 modem, which has more limited capabilities compared to the Qualcomm modem in the iPhone 16.
Verizon’s download performance lagged on both the iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 compared to AT&T and T-Mobile. While the iPhone 16e’s lack of mmWave support may impact performance in certain areas, Speedtest results show that Verizon users with both devices experienced slower median download speeds regardless.
Upload speed
iPhone 16e users on Verizon and AT&T saw higher upload speeds than iPhone 16 users, with the biggest gap on AT&T, where iPhone 16e users experienced a 38 percent increase (14.63 Mbps) over iPhone 16 users (8.60 Mbps). On T-Mobile, the difference in upload speeds between the two devices was minimal.
Apple has traditionally used Qualcomm modems but began developing its own after acquiring Intel’s modem business in 2019. The iPhone 16e features Apple’s C1 modem, which supports low and mid-band 5G but lacks mmWave and Wi-Fi 7 support.
Apple claims the C1 is the most power-efficient modem used in an iPhone, enabling a larger battery and longer battery life than the iPhone 16. However, the C1 modem lacks some capabilities found in Qualcomm’s modems, such as advanced carrier aggregation and uplink MIMO, which may contribute to the performance differences observed in Speedtest data.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
