A new report from Ookla shows that Apple’s N1 chip, which powers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity in the iPhone 17 lineup, delivers noticeably faster internet speeds compared to the iPhone 16 and several top Android flagships. According to Ookla, the iPhone 17 achieved median download and upload speeds up to 40% higher than its predecessor.
What makes the findings interesting is that, on paper, Apple’s N1 chip closely resembles Broadcom’s latest Wi-Fi solutions, aside from the upgrade from Bluetooth 5.3 to Bluetooth 6. The advantage, it seems, comes from Apple’s tighter integration of hardware and software. That synergy not only enhances features such as AirDrop and Personal Hotspot but also translates into consistently faster Wi-Fi performance.
Initially, Ookla suggested that the iPhone 17’s faster Wi-Fi might be explained by users in more developed markets with advanced networks. However, after weeks of consistent results across different regions, the company concluded that the N1 chip represents a genuine leap in wireless capabilities.
iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 16: Wi-Fi Speed Comparison
Ookla’s Speedtest data shows that every iPhone 17 model outperforms the iPhone 16 family in both download and upload speeds over Wi-Fi. Globally, the iPhone 17 achieved a median download speed of 329.56 Mbps — roughly 40% higher than the iPhone 16’s 236.46 Mbps. Median upload speeds climbed from 73.68 Mbps on the iPhone 16 to 103.26 Mbps on the iPhone 17.
The N1 chip also appears to deliver more stable performance across varying conditions. North American users experienced the fastest median download speeds at 416.14 Mbps, up from 323.69 Mbps with the iPhone 16, thanks in part to broader use of the 6 GHz band. Meanwhile, Singapore and France recorded the highest overall speeds among all launch markets.
Interestingly, Ookla points out that the absence of 320 MHz channel support — a feature some rivals include — has not hindered real-world performance. Despite this omission, Apple’s N1 chip continues to demonstrate exceptional speed and consistency, reaffirming the company’s reputation for optimizing its hardware-software ecosystem.
