Apple continues to align suppliers for production of fifth-gen iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple is said to have aligned three key suppliers of gallium arsenide for its fifth-generation iPhone, as the company prepares to begin mass production of the handset for launch later this year.



Avago, TriQuint and Skyworks have all been tapped to supply gallium arsenide, or GaAs, components that will be found in Apple's next iPhone, industry sources reportedly told DigiTimes. The total material costs of GaAs components per iPhone is estimated to reach about $6.



GaAs, a compound of gallium and arsenic, is a semiconductive material used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. It has certain properties that make it superior to silicon, and is frequently found in integrated circuits, infrared light-emitting diodes, and more.



Apple has already partnered with TriQuint and Skyworks for GaAs power amplifiers on already-available devices. But the launch of the fifth-generation iPhone will mark the first time that the company has aligned with Avago for the GaAs components in its mobile devices.



The launch of the new iPhone will occur in the third quarter of calendar 2011, Wednesday's report said. That means the device could be unveiled anytime between now and the end of September.



News of suppliers for the anticipated fifth-generation iPhone has continued to pick up in recent weeks as Apple moves toward an expected launch. Earlier this month, it was said that Apple had placed orders for 15 million iPhones from manufacturer Pegatron.







Various reports have suggested that Apple will launch its new iPhone in September, and that the device will be a moderate upgrade from the current iPhone 4. The new model is expected to have an improved 8-megapixel camera, and will sport the same custom A5 processor found in the iPad 2.



A recent report from The Wall Street Journal claimed that the next iPhone will also be thinner and lighter than the current iPhone 4. It was said that Apple plans to build 25 million units of the next-generation device through the end of 2011.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    svnippsvnipp Posts: 430member
    I'm not trying to rush Apple here, but the new iPhone can't come out soon enough. My 3GS is getting very long in the tooth. I'm quite ready for an upgrade. I'm planning on preordering mine the day that it's available for preorder. Of course that is probably going to absolutely crush their servers, but what else do you do. I waited in line for 10 hours for my wife's IP4. I sure don't want to do that again, especially considering that people who preordered were getting their new phones before the store launch.
  • Reply 2 of 40
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,655member
    They're just getting suppliers now for a phone that's supposed to launch in ten weeks?



    Maybe I'm naive about the incredible pace that devices get designed and manufactured these days, but that seems ridiculous, especially if you need to build-in any time at all for testing (and at least a week for shipping - I assume that most of these devices are still shipped to the U.S. by boat).
  • Reply 3 of 40
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Oh My God, Apple please hurry up and announce something already! Reading these same rumored reports of the time frame and expected specs over and over is just frustrating beyond belief.



    I have resigned myself to the fact that it will be September/October before the phone is available, so please just give us something concrete to think about for the next couple of months. The usual 1 year wait it hard enough, but we are now at month 13 with no real hard info yet. Please give us something real. Schedule your media event already, we need to know!
  • Reply 4 of 40
    dvillusdvillus Posts: 6member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    I'm not trying to rush Apple here, but the new iPhone can't come out soon enough. My 3GS is getting very long in the tooth. I'm quite ready for an upgrade. I'm planning on preordering mine the day that it's available for preorder.



    This could have been my post. I was typing almost the exact thing.
  • Reply 5 of 40
    If they are lining things up now, it should not be too long before we start seeing photos of alleged iphone 5 parts, or a completed device!
  • Reply 6 of 40
    applegreenapplegreen Posts: 421member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    They're just getting suppliers now for a phone that's supposed to launch in ten weeks?



    Maybe I'm naive about the incredible pace that devices get designed and manufactured these days, but that seems ridiculous, especially if you need to build-in any time at all for testing (and at least a week for shipping - I assume that most of these devices are still shipped to the U.S. by boat).



    The rumor mills are saying "just getting." For all you know, the suppliers may have been place for many weeks.



    They ship by air from China, not by "boat."
  • Reply 7 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    My 3GS is getting very long in the tooth.



    Imagine still having a 3G [no S]....like me
  • Reply 8 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleGreen View Post


    They ship by air from China, not by "boat."



    WHAT ? They don't use a Natchez but rather went for a Memphis Belle ?
  • Reply 9 of 40
    jj.yuanjj.yuan Posts: 213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zoetmb View Post


    I assume that most of these devices are still shipped to the U.S. by boat).



    Most are shipped by FedEx (by air) I believe
  • Reply 10 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    I'm not trying to rush Apple here, but the new iPhone can't come out soon enough. My 3GS is getting very long in the tooth. I'm quite ready for an upgrade. I'm planning on preordering mine the day that it's available for preorder. Of course that is probably going to absolutely crush their servers, but what else do you do. I waited in line for 10 hours for my wife's IP4. I sure don't want to do that again, especially considering that people who preordered were getting their new phones before the store launch.



    Well my 3G is dying.... argh. It's got a broken silence switch (doesn't go off any more), dropped calls all over, and very rarely wakes up on the first try. But I'd be crazy to get an iPhone 4 now...



    I'm in Canada, at the end of my 3 year contract in less than a month. They want me to sign for another 3 years, that's how they roll in my country. I'm thinkin' unlocked phone, saving my pennies.
  • Reply 11 of 40
    The toxicological properties of gallium arsenide have not been thoroughly investigated. On one hand, due to its arsenic content, it is considered highly toxic and carcinogenic. On the other hand, the crystal is stable enough that ingested pieces may be passed with negligible absorption by the body. When ground into very fine particles, such as in wafer-polishing processes, the high surface area enables more reaction with water releasing some arsine and/or dissolved arsenic. The environment, health and safety aspects of gallium arsenide sources (such as trimethylgallium and arsine) and industrial hygiene monitoring studies of metalorganic precursors have been reported. California lists gallium arsenide as a carcinogen.

    Source: Wikipedia
  • Reply 12 of 40
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    I'm not trying to rush Apple here, but the new iPhone can't come out soon enough. My 3GS is getting very long in the tooth. I'm quite ready for an upgrade. I'm planning on preordering mine the day that it's available for preorder. Of course that is probably going to absolutely crush their servers, but what else do you do. I waited in line for 10 hours for my wife's IP4. I sure don't want to do that again, especially considering that people who preordered were getting their new phones before the store launch.



    Yeah, my wife and I have iPhone 3GS' as well and waiting until the iPhone 5 to upgrade. Android phones have 3D screens, 3D cameras, edge-to-edge screens, and dual-core 1.5 GHz processors. That make my very sluggish 3GS (and even the iPhone 4) look gimp in comparison. I'm hoping Apple steps up their game and releases a phone that gives the current Android phones a run for their money.
  • Reply 13 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    Yeah, my wife and I have iPhone 3GS' as well and waiting until the iPhone 5 to upgrade. Android phones have 3D screens, 3D cameras, edge-to-edge screens, and dual-core 1.5 GHz processors. That make my very sluggish 3GS (and even the iPhone 4) look gimp in comparison. I'm hoping Apple steps up their game and releases a phone that gives the current Android phones a run for their money.



    Yeah, but those 3D screens can't do anything. And despite those dual core processors, there isn't an Android phone that actually works as fast as the iPhone 4 (iOS is tremendously optimized for the A* processors). All that faster processor does for those phones is drains their batteries quicker.



    I have the original iPhone (yeah, still on edge) and it beats my friend's HTC something (it was the top TMobile Android model about a year ago) in getting tracks from Shazam (his matches arrive earlier, but there are often no matches, indicating that the mic is not as good).
  • Reply 14 of 40
    scottyoscottyo Posts: 45member
    >GaAs

    >The toxicological properties of gallium arsenide have not been thoroughly investigated. On one hand, due to its arsenic content, it is considered highly toxic and carcinogenic. On the other hand...



    In other words, if you eat your iPhone, it'll give you gaas?



    Bet it blends.
  • Reply 15 of 40
    svnippsvnipp Posts: 430member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Negafox View Post


    Yeah, my wife and I have iPhone 3GS' as well and waiting until the iPhone 5 to upgrade. Android phones have 3D screens, 3D cameras, edge-to-edge screens, and dual-core 1.5 GHz processors. That make my very sluggish 3GS (and even the iPhone 4) look gimp in comparison. I'm hoping Apple steps up their game and releases a phone that gives the current Android phones a run for their money.



    Well, if the iPad 2 is any indication... Unfortunately I'm afraid that the iPhone 5 is going to be basically a iPhone 4S. Slightly faster processor, hopefully more RAM (but doubtful), the new 8MP camera that all the reports keep indicating, and that's about it. Still, for those of us holding on to a 3GS or older phone this will be a fantastic upgrade. I don't see much in the way of reason for anyone with an iPhone 4 to upgrade though.



    Of course Apple will keep it's secrets and keep everyone guessing. I'm just hoping that the release is in Sept rather than Oct. I don't have any major problems with my phone right now, but...
  • Reply 16 of 40
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by freelander51 View Post


    WHAT ? They don't use a Natchez but rather went for a Memphis Belle ?



    No! No Memphis Belle, but rather China Express!



    Their slogan... "When seconds count!"...

    /

    /

    /
  • Reply 17 of 40
    svnippsvnipp Posts: 430member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by invisible_moi View Post


    California lists gallium arsenide as a carcinogen.

    Source: Wikipedia



    Yeah, but doesn't California list water, air, dirt, milk, donuts, and Republicans as all carcinogenic too?
  • Reply 18 of 40
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member
    GaAs is used for ultra fast ultra low power chips (CPU/GPU).



    J
  • Reply 19 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleGreen View Post


    The rumor mills are saying "just getting." For all you know, the suppliers may have been place for many weeks.



    They ship by air from China, not by "boat."



    For all we know, there may not be a new iPhone until next Summer. It's ALL just rumor.
  • Reply 20 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    Yeah, but doesn't California list water, air, dirt, milk, donuts, and Republicans as all carcinogenic too?



    This is stupid.



    Everyone knows that Republicans aren't carcinogenic. They will upset your stomach, they will sometimes make you puke or leave you stuck on the toilet for a few hours, but they won't actually give you cancer.
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