Apple is replacing Broadcom's chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Thread with its own N1 chip as part of plans for an audio alternative to Bluetooth and smart home integration. N1 is rumored for Apple TV, too.
It has been 15 years since Apple launched its first system chip, the A4, in iPhone 4 and iPad.
Since then, the American company's ambitions have grown, designing its own CPU, GPU (since A11 Bionic), display driver (since A12 Bionic) etc. Earlier this year, Apple released its first modem chip (C1) and this week the company launched a networking chip (N1).
What is Apple N1?
N1 is not Apple's first networking chip for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – it was the W chip series for AirPods and Apple Watch – but it is the company's first for iPhone.
- "iPhone 17 introduces N1, a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. In addition to the latest generation of wireless technologies, N1 improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop," said Apple.
With N1, Apple begins to distance itself from Broadcom, which has supplied networking chips for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, while Apple has also started replacing Qualcomm modem chips with iPhone Air and iPhone 16e.
Audio alternative to Bluetooth
Without any fanfare, Apple has also begun rolling out Spatial Relay Audio-Visual Sync, or SPR AVS, according to Patently Apple who has gained insight into new developer documentation.
- "SPR AVS stands for Spatial Relay Audio-Visual Sync, and it's engineered to replace or augment legacy protocols like Bluetooth and AirPlay in specific contexts," writes Patently Apple and says that it is "enabling ultra-low latency and high-bandwidth communication between iPhones, AirPods, Vision Pro, and other Apple devices."
The protocol is an alternative to Bluetooth LE Audio and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound. According to Patently Apple, it delivers wireless audio between devices in lossless quality without delay. This could be used in future AirPods headphones or AirPlay speakers as well as for transmitting sensor data.
Also read: Apple's new Spatial Audio format goes beyond Dolby Atmos
SPR AVS is described as a new foundation in Apple's strategy for 'spatial computing'.
Table: Patently Apple
N1 in Apple TV?
According to Bloomberg, the networking chip will soon be rolled out to Apple TV, HomePod, iPad and Mac. A new Apple TV box is rumored to launch later in 2025.
Apple cites Personal Hotspot and AirDrop as examples where N1 improves the experience, but Bloomberg reports that the benefits extend further, and the chip is a foundation in Apple's smart home plans.
For Apple TV, one could imagine improved audio connection to AirPods, HomePods and AirPlay devices.
Today, AirPlay speakers connect to Apple TV via Wi-Fi while AirPods connect via Bluetooth. Photo: Apple
- Source: Patently Apple
