News & Analysis
Teardown: Inside Apple's iPhone 5
Allan Yogasingam
9/21/2012 3:23 PM EDT
Dissecting the A6 processor
Apple has also used this iteration of the iPhone to introduce its latest processor, the much anticipated multi-core CPU and quad-core GPU A6 processor. There were many questions about this Apple custom-designed processor—the most intriguing of which was the mystery behind the number and type of cores. Would we be looking at a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 implementation of the A6, or a dual-core processor powered by ARM's latest cores, the Cortex-A15? Apple has promised twice the performance of the A5 and twice the graphics capability.
Apple A6 die marking (source: UBM TechInsights).
Where the A6 is being fabricated was also a mystery. Apple has partnered with Samsung for every generation of the family of processors, but recent courtroom battles over patents and rumors of an Apple partnership with TSMC have led to rumors of a new foundry supplier for the A6. But our early analysis of the A6 revealed die markings that are similar to the Samsung markings found on the A4 and A5 processors.
Also of interest is which ARM core is behind the CPU and if the promises of low power consumption are a tell that Apple has made the move to the 28-nm process node. Apple introduced processors manufactured on Samsung's 32-nm process node with the A5 found in the second-generation Apple TV. But TSMC has been in mass production on 28-nm for quite some time now. We're doing a cross-section to verify the process, but the die shrink of 95.04 mm2 is much smaller than the 162.54 mm2 of the Apple A5X processor and the 45-nm version of the A5 processor, which was also a large 122.21 mm2.
So there is it, the heart of the Apple's product family, cut wide open for all the world to see. Based on early sales figures, this latest version of the iPhone has struck a chord with consumers. The world's love affair with the sleekly designed handset appears likely to continue.
Scroll through the following pages for more photos from the teardown.
Apple A6 die photo (click on image to enlarge).
Allan Yogasingam is a technical research manager at UBM TechInsights, owned by the same company that publishes EE Times, UBM plc.
Next: Back of the comms board
Apple has also used this iteration of the iPhone to introduce its latest processor, the much anticipated multi-core CPU and quad-core GPU A6 processor. There were many questions about this Apple custom-designed processor—the most intriguing of which was the mystery behind the number and type of cores. Would we be looking at a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 implementation of the A6, or a dual-core processor powered by ARM's latest cores, the Cortex-A15? Apple has promised twice the performance of the A5 and twice the graphics capability.
Apple A6 die marking (source: UBM TechInsights).
Where the A6 is being fabricated was also a mystery. Apple has partnered with Samsung for every generation of the family of processors, but recent courtroom battles over patents and rumors of an Apple partnership with TSMC have led to rumors of a new foundry supplier for the A6. But our early analysis of the A6 revealed die markings that are similar to the Samsung markings found on the A4 and A5 processors.
Also of interest is which ARM core is behind the CPU and if the promises of low power consumption are a tell that Apple has made the move to the 28-nm process node. Apple introduced processors manufactured on Samsung's 32-nm process node with the A5 found in the second-generation Apple TV. But TSMC has been in mass production on 28-nm for quite some time now. We're doing a cross-section to verify the process, but the die shrink of 95.04 mm2 is much smaller than the 162.54 mm2 of the Apple A5X processor and the 45-nm version of the A5 processor, which was also a large 122.21 mm2.
So there is it, the heart of the Apple's product family, cut wide open for all the world to see. Based on early sales figures, this latest version of the iPhone has struck a chord with consumers. The world's love affair with the sleekly designed handset appears likely to continue.
Scroll through the following pages for more photos from the teardown.
Apple A6 die photo (click on image to enlarge).
Allan Yogasingam is a technical research manager at UBM TechInsights, owned by the same company that publishes EE Times, UBM plc.
Next: Back of the comms board
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song-chou-1
9/22/2012 10:44 AM EDT
How does Intel get away with claiming technology leadership with foundry regarding mobile SOC?
Iphone 5 shipping now ~50M units this year
4G MDM9615 manufactured in **28nm**
A6 in **32nm**
Intel last week Razr announced but not shipping
3G manufactured in **foundry 45nm**
Atom in **32nm**
Intel's 22nm finFET SOC does not ship until end of 2013. Something is very wrong. I hear moving design IP and transistor variation is the problem due to finFET being on bulk and requiring fin doping
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KRS03
9/22/2012 12:34 PM EDT
From a simple viewpoint, any progress in battery technology would affect size and weight for these phones more than any other aspect. (FYI, a little editing would improve your article.)
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Tupak
9/24/2012 11:13 AM EDT
The only problem is that from a pure technical point on view that is not that easy.
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goafrit
10/6/2012 3:44 PM EDT
Samsung is going to use battery technology to knock out Apple
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truekop
9/22/2012 10:26 PM EDT
Does the iphone5 have a MEMS microphone ? If so who is the manufacturer ?
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dylan.mcgrath
9/25/2012 11:27 AM EDT
@truekop- this is from
UBM TechInsights chief teardown engineer Chad Davis:
“Yes, there were two MEMS microphones at the top of the phone and a large condenser type microphone at the bottom of the phone that resembled a speaker.”
No word yet on the manufacturer, but I will try to find out.
BTW, a listing of the major components in the handset (not including MEMS microphones) was added to the end of the article:
http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4396862/Teardown--Inside-Apple-s-iPhone-5?pageNumber=20
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jakeb3482
10/4/2012 1:06 PM EDT
Likely it is Knowles.
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goafrit
10/6/2012 3:45 PM EDT
Not Knowles. It is STMicro
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goafrit
10/6/2012 3:45 PM EDT
Yes. all smartphones do
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tthappy
9/23/2012 8:53 AM EDT
Apple's handset are with the same processor or power management unit,such as: ipad, iphone, and apple and maybe itouch.Also use the same ios system with iphone and ipad.
I once test the power sequence of ipad 2 use the dialog semiconductor PMU.It's very hard when first test this.The datasheet is very long.
Power management is very critical for this battery powered system.I need charge my smart phone everyday which is samsung galaxy r.
Ipad is the largest iphone without telephone capacity.
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tthappy
9/23/2012 8:58 AM EDT
Smartphone war between those giants is very wonderful in the world.
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SandunDhammika
9/23/2012 12:08 PM EDT
thanks had a nice reading.
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Ed608
9/24/2012 1:17 PM EDT
Why does it take multiple pages to read EE Times web articles? This one is 21 pages long!!! Come on EE Times, put the entire article on 1 web page and save us the unnecessary clicking. I know using the 'print' button will put everything on one page, but why do we need to do this extra step for every article?
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danlutes
9/24/2012 3:22 PM EDT
21 pages of advertising!
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goodput
9/26/2012 7:22 PM EDT
I was wondering if maybe the author has a job application in at apple. Unfortunately, now brainwashed fanboys are going to be able to back-up their nonsense with "the EETimes agrees with my position."
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bnowak
2/6/2013 2:54 PM EST
Another example of how reading comprehension and being an android sheep don’t mix well together.
Go spill your anti-apple diatribe on twitter or fb, wannabe hipster.
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elPresidente
9/24/2012 5:19 PM EDT
"The iPhone 5 is touted by many as the most innovative iPhone since the original" The most innovative thing Apple could do with an iPhone is thumb a nose at Jobs' corpse and make it run Flash - and they still haven't done it
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GREAT-Terry
9/25/2012 6:47 AM EDT
Interesting to know that the A6 indeed is so small. I hope to see more detail found with the A6 investigation. Will the ARM core used by Apple by totally different from anybody else?
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chanj
9/26/2012 12:27 PM EDT
What interesting to me is the retina display. Why doesn't Apple go all the way to 720 instead of 640? If so, the number of content available w/o resizing is a lot more. Well! I assume A6 is capable to render 720 content and there is little concern of storage.
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Hiramalik
9/27/2012 7:56 AM EDT
I really like Iphone5 but Samsung galaxy is giving a tough competition.
http://hiring.rozee.pk/ is a Employment Agency
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William Miller
10/2/2012 8:14 AM EDT
I wasn't impressed by the new iPhone.. Latest Samsung seems to be much better!
David
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maaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
10/2/2012 2:22 PM EDT
Hy i am broad. it is my blog visit here and enjoy www.electricalapps.blogspot.com
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truekop
10/6/2012 5:10 PM EDT
@goafrit i think the mems microphone is from Analog Devices, not from ST or Knowles. I may be wrong, I found that information in some forum.
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truekop
10/6/2012 5:18 PM EDT
@goafrit,Dylan, This was the article which speculated ADI has the MEMS microphone socket in iphone5.
http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2012/analog-devices-still-crawling-along-adi-lltc-onnn-mxim0823.aspx#axzz28YWP4WEl
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blacklepeard
10/10/2012 6:06 AM EDT
There is three MEMS microphone in i-phone5.
I checked two MEMS Part no.
The first of three microphones comes out of the iPhone 5 along with the Lightning connector assembly.
It is safe to assume that the microphone located at the bottom front of the device is used for voice commands and voice calls.
PART NO NE2606 MEMS microphone seems to be in digital microphone
from Analog Devices or AAC.
If you know a more detailed information , sharing reveal.
The rear-facing microphone partners up with the rear-facing camera for recording video, and is also used for canceling out background noise when on calls.
Part no S949 369S MEMS microphone is similar to Knowles MIC Part no. (Analog)
and the other MIC information i don't get.
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Ted8
3/4/2013 5:00 PM EST
Was it put back together? ;-)
How about a tearup!
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