iPhone 3G component suppliers revealed by Chinese paper?

[AppleInsider]

Infineon, Broadcom, and Foxconn Electronics are amongst the big winners when it comes to component suppliers for Apple's soon-to-arrive iPhone 3G mobile handset, according to the Commercial Times.

The Chinese-language newspaper cited its own sources in saying that Foxconn -- not Quanta as some earlier reports had erroneously suggested -- will be piecing the device together at its Taiwanese facilities and also manufacturing its enclosure.

True to expectations, Infineon is said to be supplying a new systems solution handset chip that will likely include a digital baseband controller, power management unit (PMU), and radio frequency (RF) module. Meanwhile, it's alleged that Broadcom will indeed be serving up the GPS module.

Also inside will be touch-screen panels from Sharp, camera modules from Altus Technology and Primax Electronics, camera lenses from Largan Precision and Genius Electronics Optical, integrated circuit packaging from Siliconware Precision Industries, and circuit boards from Unimicron Technology, Nanya PCB, and Compeq Manufacturing.

For the most part, the suppliers are similar to those identified as playing roles in the original iPhone, though Catcher Technology appears to have lost its seat as the provider of the phone's enclosure due to a shift away from metal casings and towards plastic ones with the new model, a move aimed at improving the handset's wireless transmissions.



The Commercial Times adds that with the iPhone 3G launching simultaneously in 22 countries on July 11, total shipments are expected to top 10 million units in the third quarter calendar quarter of the year alone.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Although the Commercial Times did not specify which firm would be supplying the phone's primary system-on-a-chip (SoC), it's widely expected that South Korea-based Samsung has again secured that slot.

Well considering there is a silicon foundry and a chip packager in the list, maybe they've rolled their own.

[chronart]

As I read down this list of suppliers I cannot figure out who makes the 3G chip.

Help,

Barry

[merdhead]

Infineon

[penchanted]

If this list is correct, the biggest change appears to be replacing the former Balda touchscreen with a new unit from Sharp. I wonder if it will perform the same.

[smokeonit]

Originally Posted by penchanted

If this list is correct, the biggest change appears to be replacing the former Balda touchscreen with a new unit from Sharp. I wonder if it will perform the same.

the switch from balda to sharp makes me wonder... i hope apple still puts its emphasis on quality... balda is #1 in the world for that type of screens... let's see how the sharp displays hold up...???

[XamaX]

What I find truly incredible is that Apple is resorting to so many manufacturers when both Broadcom and others make ASICS that include most of these things: GPS; 3G, Radio, etc all in one chip.

I trust it is worthwhile and cost effective to have all these players together. Maybe that's it, maybe it's having so many component manufacturers that makes for competitive pricing parts...

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by XamaX

What I find truly incredible is that Apple is resorting to so many manufacturers when both Broadcom and others make ASICS that include most of these things: GPS; 3G, Radio, etc all in one chip.

Those all-in-one chips may have other limitations. For instance, they may be significantly larger than any single chip which may constrain the engineering options of the device, the power usage may be less efficient if the all-in-one chip can't disable the GPS without disabling the other parts of the chip, or the radio not being as strong as a stand alone chip. (speculation)

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by XamaX

What I find truly incredible is that Apple is resorting to so many manufacturers when both Broadcom and others make ASICS that include most of these things: GPS; 3G, Radio, etc all in one chip.

I trust it is worthwhile and cost effective to have all these players together. Maybe that's it, maybe it's having so many component manufacturers that makes for competitive pricing parts...

Obviously because they didn't perform well enough. Some integration has a cost in performance.

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by smokeonit

the switch from balda to sharp makes me wonder... i hope apple still puts its emphasis on quality... balda is #1 in the world for that type of screens... let's see how the sharp displays hold up...???

What are you basing this idea that Balda make the best surfaces? Maybe Sharp do just as well but at a lower price, or they can deliver the quantities required. Either way Balda is obviously not the best for Apple.

[Unicron]

So the new model will still have a glass screen, right?

[quinney]

Originally Posted by merdhead

Well considering there is a silicon foundry and a chip packager in the list, maybe they've rolled their own.

yeah, I don't understand why those two are included in a list of suppliers.
Is the chart implying that Apple paid UMC to manufacture chips designed
by Infineon and then having them packaged by Siliconware and then shipped
to Foxconn to be assembled? I would have thought Apple would just pay
Infineon to do every step required to deliver the chips to Foxconn, or PCB makers
Maybe Apple got a good prepaid rate from UMC????? Did UMC also
manufacture the Broadcom chips???? I be drunkie.

[wizard69]

Interesting as I would have liked to know who was doing that part also. A number of interesting devices have been released early this year.

Dave