News & Analysis
Image gallery: Inside iPhone 4S
Allan Yogasingam
10/16/2011 12:01 AM EDT
Apple A5 processor
After making its first appearance inside the Apple iPad 2, the Apple A5 dual-core processor has now found its way into the iPhone 4S. The Apple A5 features two ARM cores and supports low power DDR2 DRAM memory.
The iPhone 4S version of the A5 is nearly identical to the version of the processor found in the iPad 2—a good indicator that this version of the A5 is also manufactured at the 45-nm process node. A cross-section is required to determine if this version of the A5 is manufactured by someone other than Samsung (such as TSMC) but early indications show that this is most likely from Samsung.
A5 die photo.
Next: Qualcomm MDM6610
After making its first appearance inside the Apple iPad 2, the Apple A5 dual-core processor has now found its way into the iPhone 4S. The Apple A5 features two ARM cores and supports low power DDR2 DRAM memory.
The iPhone 4S version of the A5 is nearly identical to the version of the processor found in the iPad 2—a good indicator that this version of the A5 is also manufactured at the 45-nm process node. A cross-section is required to determine if this version of the A5 is manufactured by someone other than Samsung (such as TSMC) but early indications show that this is most likely from Samsung.
A5 die photo.
Next: Qualcomm MDM6610
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hm
10/16/2011 5:17 PM EDT
Is it possible to know what software packages do Apple use to design this devices? I am interested in knowing ECAD, MCAD and other simulation tools.
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elPresidente
10/17/2011 4:31 PM EDT
Yes. work there. Steal their trade secrets. They won't mind.
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ReneCardenas
12/31/2011 9:35 PM EST
hm,
Tools cost more than mere mortals can afford. Unless you have very deep pockets, these tools are not your freeware type ;-)
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GREAT-Terry
10/17/2011 4:58 AM EDT
How about the antenna design? Is there any clue this is a new dual antenna design with improved reception?
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chanj
10/17/2011 12:22 PM EDT
Using qualcomm chip set to consolidate the model is a smart move. Not only does it reduce the number of product to manage but also provides an upper hand against competitors. Now, iPhone 4S becomes a world phone.
I have heard that the antenna location has been moved to the upper corners. I am hoping I will see coverage of antenna design in this article. Any further information is welcomed.
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Pituch
10/17/2011 4:57 PM EDT
Rumor has it they are using a diversity TX/RX antenna such that they can switch transmission to the second antenna if reception drops on the first.
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Frank Eory
10/17/2011 5:34 PM EDT
Each new generation has a fancier audio CODEC chip, but they still ship the iPhone with those 50 cent earbuds :(
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batavier
10/17/2011 5:43 PM EDT
Now that we know what's inside, we can all go out and make our own...:)
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PHW_#1
10/17/2011 9:33 PM EDT
Is Siri linked to a special IC to handle speech recognition? or just pure software?
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agk
10/18/2011 5:16 AM EDT
great set of design people created this piece. But it seems Samsung supplied A5 processor. He is trying to compete Apple. Who will be the winner?How apple has the mind set to buy an ic fom his competitor?great people and community.it is good.
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elPresidente
10/18/2011 2:19 PM EDT
Samsung is Apple's foundry.
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janine.love
10/18/2011 10:41 AM EDT
Any news on what's in the RF part of the chip?
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peter.clarke
10/18/2011 1:03 PM EDT
Hi Janine
As it says on page 2, Qualcomm RTR8605 multimode RF transceiver, which goes with the Qualcomm MDM6610 baseband.
The article indicates the Qualcomm baseband was already used in iPhone 4, but i think the RF may have kicked out an Intel/Infineon peice of RF
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VincePG
10/18/2011 1:24 PM EDT
Samsung and others copy Apple. It takes them at least a year or two to catch up. That's what makes Apple unique. Apple never seems to run out of new ideas that differentiate them from the me-tos. The only "good" idea Samsung ever had was to copy American and Japanese companies for their products.
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Jeff.Petro
10/31/2011 2:09 PM EDT
Actually, apple was copying the ideas of the chinese clone makers who copied the iphone and then improved on them.
Years ago, I owned a chinese sciphone (miphone)which had dual cameras (front & back, video conferencing and quad band world phone connectability. All of these features have been recently touted as new by apple. So you are correct in saying it a takes a couple years to catch up. You're just misinformed on who is doing the catch up.
Now if they could only follow the lead of others and allow you to replace batteries, add memory cards and have an unlocked phone ... in a couple years
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collin
10/18/2011 1:46 PM EDT
Inside of iphone 4s is very clear. Many Chinese companies could copy its design.They only need change some components which could cut down the cost, then sell it with competitive price in the market. I personally think that the terminal selling quantity for apple phone could not surpass the copy manufacturers' in China. Actually, the brand of Apple is the key value. If not, it is the same as many other cellphone in China market.
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elPresidente
10/18/2011 2:25 PM EDT
And where exactly will the Chinese get the A6 chip? You think Apple will sell it to them? if you change some of the components, it's not a 4S. Chinese copy phones may look the same, but they do not run apps...they are strictly for status, just like their fake Rolexes
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elPresidente
10/18/2011 2:25 PM EDT
Sorry - in a darkened room. A5 chip
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PoseTech
10/19/2011 2:45 AM EDT
Hopefully you can write about the antenna placement in the phone and how it is different from the iPhone 4 design. Thanks.
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Navelpluis
10/19/2011 11:43 AM EDT
I spoke to a friend of mine. He told me that he saw Apple 4 phones in China with native Apple apps installed on them. Around $50. Wonder if this can be true. I know that there are clones around with a cranky software (Windoze or so) on them, but this was new for me. Is it a rumor or can this be true?
And if true, what the heck can we do about this? These Chinese copy (thus steal) almost everything. Quite worrying!
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Mikey-D
10/24/2011 5:58 AM EDT
Don't believe it! Out of curiosity, I bought an iPhone 4 clone in Lo Wu Shopping City for about $50 and looked at several others at the same time. It might look like an iPhone from a distance, but plastic body; resistive touch screen; no installable apps (just copied icons). The built-in apps were very bad and slow. WiFi very hard to connect to anything, and flakey browser. No GPS, no GPRS, no compass; no accelerometers or gyros (though did have portrait/landscape detection); low-res screen. It worked for 3 days before the touch-screen failed (probably a connector). After that I dismantled it - no A5, that's for sure!
I was astonished it actually worked - as just a phone, it wasn't too bad. Essentially, it was a generic phone PCB wrapped-up in an iPhone look-alike wrapper.
It even had two improvements over the iPhone - dual SIM, and replaceable battery.
Anyway, they are widely available - google for Sciphone, HiPhone etc.
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sharps_eng
10/19/2011 4:43 PM EDT
It is very obvious how the real estate changes when there is no keyboard, no open/close mechanism, just a screen, battery and short parade of chips, one chip per specialist function. See how the Location chips and presumably GPS? need their space. Cameras, connector and switches add their payload but you get a lot of functionality in a mobile device!
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Luis Sanchez
10/19/2011 4:50 PM EDT
Does anybody knows if this 4S comes with Bluetooth Low Energy enabled already?
and if so... what kind of Apps do use this?
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WireMan
10/21/2011 3:19 PM EDT
Teardowns don't mean much when they simply identify new components. Wow, it has an XYZ from company A and a QRS from company B. Big deal. More insight and analysis of why Apple made various component and design choices would help. But it's unlikely a company will share those secrets. That's why this type of teardown is pretty much a waste of time.
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Etmax
10/23/2011 9:45 PM EDT
I agree in part with you, but I do find packaging details ie. HOW it all goes together. I then think hmm why? Yes I like the idea or no I don't. Sure purely from an electronic perspective there's not much happening, but in the mechanical arena it can be interesting.
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ibm221
10/23/2011 9:57 PM EDT
yeah, apple is the BMW for americans.
a teardown of BMW wont' tell you anything.
all it matters is the culture and tradition.
the real hero behind apple's success story is
lady gaga and madonna.
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ibm221
10/23/2011 10:13 PM EDT
so as long as the chinese can't copycat a 'lady gaga' as good as original one americans have nothing to worry about.
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ReneCardenas
12/31/2011 9:14 PM EST
IP is one thing but all the fashion, and pop-culture does not a country make.
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