Processor on next Apple iPhone to be produced via Samsung's 32nm process?

posted by Alan F.

Apr 11, 2012, 4:58 PM

Processor on next Apple iPhone to be produced via Samsung's 32nm process?

With no official word from Apple on what will be in the innards of the next iteration of the iconic iPhone (that's called alliteration, folks!), a website called Chipworks decided to take an x-ray of the chip powering the new Apple TV 3. What it found was the next generation A5 processor, but with some interesting new features.

While the media was calling the new A5 a single core application processor, the x-rays revealed that the A5 in the third generation of Apple TV is actually made with dual-cores. But how could this be, you ask? Even Apple's specs sheet lists Apple TV 3 as being powered by a single core application processor. The answer is that either Apple is using just one of the two cores, or it is binning one of them. This is a process used when a initial runs of a new process result in lower yields. The "bad core" is disabled allowing the manufacturer to increase the number of usable dies per wafer which lowers costs. The A5X chip in the new iPad had both cores enabled, of course.

Both versions of the A5 contain dual-cores

Besides the surprise of finding the dual-cores on the x-ray, Chipworks also found that Apple had used an A5 made with a different manufacturing process. Whereas the previous generation A5, part number APL0498, was manufactured using Samsung 45nm LP CMOS process, the new A5 was produced using Samsung’s new 32 nm high-k metal gate, gate first, LP CMOS process. This is APL2498. The new Samsung manufacturing technique shrinks the A5 by 41% compared to its predecessor and reduces current leakage. The question is, if Apple is using this complex technique on a product like Apple TV 3, is it just warming up for its use inside the next Apple iPhone?

Samsung has used its own high-k metal gate manufacturing process with the dual-core Cortex-A15 Exynos 5250 processor and the unnamed quad-core Cortex-A9 Exynos processor which is expected to power the Samsung Galaxy S III. Samsung, of course, has produced the other "Ax" chips used in the 3 other versions, so the Korean based manufacturer should be coming right back with the production of the A6, or whatever Apple decides to call the next-gen processor.

source: Chipworks via MobileSyrup

The A5 from Apple TV 3 and the A5 from the Apple iPhone 4S (R)

FEATURED VIDEO

Options

46 Comments

46. Adolfo123

Posts: 1; Member since: Feb 02, 2012

.The tecknological jungle of patents and corporations is driving me crazy...but even so long live to honorable Capitalism and down with the misery bound Socialism where Obama wants lead this country...

posted on Apr 24, 2012, 4:30 PM 0

40. gotti88

Posts: 101; Member since: Jul 06, 2011

hey sammy im going to sue you again but after i get u to make my processor. apple sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

posted on Apr 12, 2012, 10:39 AM 0

34. nitinrana

Posts: 27; Member since: Apr 02, 2012

Like for Samsung fans.... :-)

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 9:47 PM 2

26. VJo003

Posts: 365; Member since: Mar 11, 2012

In business u never wipe out competition You just milk it till it runs dry So am sure Samsung would not be minding apple's dependencies

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 7:59 PM 2

21. imkyle

Posts: 1117; Member since: Nov 18, 2010

Gotta love Samsung

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 7:31 PM 3

24. TROLL.IS.AHA

Posts: 58; Member since: Apr 10, 2012

Yeap!

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 7:35 PM 0

15. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

If i was Samsung I would stop selling processors to APPLE UNTIL THEY STOP THE LAW SUIT. They can make their own chip or find someone else to build it for them

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 6:15 PM 6

37. xtian1103

Posts: 364; Member since: Feb 11, 2012

yes samsung can actually deny apple for making their chips. however it's huge amount of money to ignore. exynos chips sold millions on sgs2 etc but you can't deny A4, A5, A5X on apple products sold way more anything samsung made.

posted on Apr 12, 2012, 1:10 AM 0

10. CharlieAtInfinity

Posts: 253; Member since: Apr 10, 2012

Hey iFans Its after all Samsung Inside! :D

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:37 PM 8

17. gallitoking

Posts: 4721; Member since: May 17, 2011

then why the hate

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 6:48 PM 2

23. TROLL.IS.AHA

Posts: 58; Member since: Apr 10, 2012

Kinda true. Uve got a point. Restrictions............!

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 7:34 PM 2

36. xtian1103

Posts: 364; Member since: Feb 11, 2012

yeah samsung always make sure they would make the best chips for apple, otherwise... they lose the contract and a huge amount of money. both companies benefits on that way. fandroid are saying as if apple doesn't pay what they ask samsung tomake for them!

posted on Apr 12, 2012, 12:59 AM 0

8. dmckay12

Posts: 243; Member since: Feb 25, 2012

It is assonance not alliteration. Alliteration is with consonant sounds and assonance is with vowels.

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:35 PM 2

20. TROLL.IS.AHA

Posts: 58; Member since: Apr 10, 2012

Smaaart boy...

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 7:29 PM 0

44. pbui.818

Posts: 78; Member since: Feb 06, 2012

Actually, he's right and you're right on one count but not entirely so on the second. Alliteration is the same sound. Assonance is the same vowel sound. Consonance is the same consonant sound. Alliteration is the general term while each of the others is a more specific case.

posted on Apr 17, 2012, 4:49 PM 0

4. gallitoking

Posts: 4721; Member since: May 17, 2011

Now I see why Apple sues alot... they pay good money for their napkins designs only to have manufacturers steal their ideas and turn profit... samsung is the best at manufacturing chips thats why Apple looks for them, but to produce similar products as your main buyer...

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:16 PM 1

5. Habib

Posts: 114; Member since: Feb 26, 2011

Troll!!!

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:23 PM 7

7. taz89

Posts: 2014; Member since: May 03, 2011

come on are you saying they copied the idea of a slab of glass with bezels.

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:35 PM 2

11. jove39

Posts: 2153; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

You are real fool and ofcourse troll...anyone with little bit of usable brain...would google about chip manufacturing before posting on public forum...but thats just you...Apple/Samsung/Qualcomm/TI/Nvidia they all have licensed arm arch for use in their cpu...no one is stealing from anyone here (Its just that you are jealous)...and Samsung had 800Mhz cpu ~5 years ago in first gen wave handset...what was apple smoking then...stealing my @$$

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:43 PM 1

12. jove39

Posts: 2153; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

I certainly have no problem with Apple...but some morons who use Apple gadgets!

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:45 PM 2

18. gallitoking

Posts: 4721; Member since: May 17, 2011

never I mention they stole their chip.. Apple doesnt even produce chips .. you moron...

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 6:50 PM 1

16. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

And half of their hardware is made by Samsung. their Camera is made by SONY

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 6:15 PM 3

3. Ksupowercat13

Posts: 15; Member since: Jul 15, 2011

All I have to say is if Apple decides to use a dual core processor in the next iPhone that will be upsetting. I used to be an Android fan until I finally decided to give the iPhone 4s a try. Yeah, you can't customize widgets or anything but Apple's stability compared to Androids is 10x better. I still consider myself an Android guy, and I am simply trying out the iPhone and right now i do like it better. It will just be upsetting to see that all these new android phones will be coming out with quadcore processors, while the "iPhone 5" will only support a dual core with quadcore graphics. Maybe I just don't exactly know what that means...

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:12 PM 3

6. Croxy

Posts: 55; Member since: Dec 06, 2011

Number of cores isn't the only factor in the quality of the processors. Compare Qualcoms snapdragon S4 and nVidias Tegra 3...

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:35 PM 4

9. Ksupowercat13

Posts: 15; Member since: Jul 15, 2011

yeah i get that but would you rather have a dualcore or a quadcore?

posted on Apr 11, 2012, 5:37 PM 1

13. Croxy

Posts: 55; Member since: Dec 06, 2011

I'm not a big expert at this: It depends on lots of things. architecture, the nanometers and that kind of s**t that I don't have a clue about.:D Of course I would prefer an n-core before an n-core processor ONLY IF it truly had better performances. I've gotten an impression that you were a kind of guy who would brag about his phone only because of the number of cores.