Samsung confirmed to be manufacturer of Apple's new A7 chip in iPhone 5s
Apple has once again turned to Samsung to manufacture its new 64-bit A7 processor that powers the flagship iPhone 5s, an analysis of the system-on-a-chip has confirmed.
The silicon experts at Chipworks revealed on Friday that the new A7 ARM CPU, custom designed by Apple, was in fact fabricated at Samsung's foundry.
They are still looking for closer details, but suspect that the processor will utilize Samsung's 28-nanometer Hi K metal Gate. If that prediction proves accurate, it would mean Apple is using the same process as the Galaxy S4's Exynos Application processor.
Chipworks also found the new M7 motion coprocessor inside the iPhone 5s, which is labeled as the NXP LPC18A1. It's based on the LPC1800 series Cortx-M3 microcontrollers made by NXP
As for the enhanced camera in the iPhone 5s, the iSight module was discovered to be a custom Exmor-RS sensor from Sony. Other parts in the handset include a touchscreen controller from Broadcom, an LTE modem by Qualcomm, and NAND flash from SK Hynix.
But it's the CPU that powers the iPhone 5s that has been of much speculation, as all of custom A-series chips to date have been built by Samsung. There have been indications that Apple would prefer to move away from Samsung, and potentially to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., for its chip production, as Samsung is Apple's chief competitor in a number of markets.
Apple has worked in recent years to lessen its reliance on Samsung for other key parts, such as flash memory found in the iPhone and iPad. But to date, Samsung's silicon fabrication facilities in Austin, Tex., have been responsible for all A-series chips.
The silicon experts at Chipworks revealed on Friday that the new A7 ARM CPU, custom designed by Apple, was in fact fabricated at Samsung's foundry.
They are still looking for closer details, but suspect that the processor will utilize Samsung's 28-nanometer Hi K metal Gate. If that prediction proves accurate, it would mean Apple is using the same process as the Galaxy S4's Exynos Application processor.
Chipworks also found the new M7 motion coprocessor inside the iPhone 5s, which is labeled as the NXP LPC18A1. It's based on the LPC1800 series Cortx-M3 microcontrollers made by NXP
As for the enhanced camera in the iPhone 5s, the iSight module was discovered to be a custom Exmor-RS sensor from Sony. Other parts in the handset include a touchscreen controller from Broadcom, an LTE modem by Qualcomm, and NAND flash from SK Hynix.
But it's the CPU that powers the iPhone 5s that has been of much speculation, as all of custom A-series chips to date have been built by Samsung. There have been indications that Apple would prefer to move away from Samsung, and potentially to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., for its chip production, as Samsung is Apple's chief competitor in a number of markets.
Apple has worked in recent years to lessen its reliance on Samsung for other key parts, such as flash memory found in the iPhone and iPad. But to date, Samsung's silicon fabrication facilities in Austin, Tex., have been responsible for all A-series chips.
Comments
Then a 64-bit Android phone should be just around the corner.
I wouldn't be so sure. I think Samsung themselves have the advantage here; they could 'reconfigure' Tizen in-house to 64-bit and not have to wait for Google, who looks to be moving to Chrome anyway. Not to say Android won't go the 64-bit route, but I just don't see any incentive for Google to hurry that project up.
edit: and where the heck is the news on the M7?
It's spelled ARM "Cortex" not "Cortx". I like how that typo spread over the web.
Obviously Samsungs CEO wouldn't admit to their fab sharing information with their semiconductor unit.
They probably did copy and learn as much as they could from it (like with Samsungs previous Hummingbird CPUs.
They even said they have a 64 bit phone coming in the near future.
Apple is really digging their own graves this way...
I wouldn't be so sure. I think Samsung themselves have the advantage here; they could 'reconfigure' Tizen in-house to 64-bit and not have to wait for Google, who looks to be moving to Chrome anyway. Not to say Android won't go the 64-bit route, but I just don't see any incentive for Google to hurry that project up.
edit: and where the heck is the news on the M7?
M7 has been identified. It's not an Apple designed chip rather an off the shelf discrete processor from NXP.
Does that mean DED jumped the gun in his previous article!?
Sounds like it means his speculation (hope?) was incorrect.
How exactly do we know, that they kept a lid on what CPU Apple was cooking?
Because there was zero mention in any media of an apple switch to 64-bit before Apples announcement. We saw everything else, 5C details, 5s colors, flash, touchId etc in perhaps the most worst kept product details of any iPhone iteration. Except for 64-bit, there was nothing not even the faintest smell.
iPhone 5s = ___ RAM
Anyone know this answer ?
iPhone 5s = ___ RAM
1GB confirmed.
How exactly do we know, that they kept a lid on what CPU Apple was cooking?
Obviously Samsungs CEO wouldn't admit to their fab sharing information with their semiconductor unit.
They probably did copy and learn as much as they could from it (like with Samsungs previous Hummingbird CPUs.
They even said they have a 64 bit phone coming in the near future.
Apple is really digging their own graves this way...
Samsung doesn't design processors. They directly license the Cortex IP design from ARM itself and fab them. (
http://www.arm.com/products/processors/licensees.php)
All this processor copy fodder of Apple, who doesn't license from ARM and self designs, is good forum fun but largely a circle****. Samsung signed on to the 64bit A57 design in October of last year(http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/10/arm-goes-64-bit-with-new-cortex-a53-and-cortex-a57-designs/), they've yet to use it though instead going the A53 route idiotically. Considering their processors don't even support LTE (ha!) and they use Qualcomm chips in most of their devices in most markets to support that does it even matter?
Samsung doesn't design processors. They directly license the Cortex IP design from ARM itself and fab them. (
http://www.arm.com/products/processors/licensees.php)
Samsung licenses cores from ARM and is developing their own proprietary ARM ISA core designs.