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Apple A6 investigation shows highly customized dual-core, triple-GPU layout
There's been a significant mystery lingering around the A6 processor found in the iPhone 5, even as it became clearer that Apple was veering further than usual from the basic ARM formula. A microscope-level inspection by Chipworks and iFixit is at last identifying the key elements of the 32nm, Samsung-assembled chip and revealing just how far it strays from the beaten path. The examination confirms earlier suspicions of a dual-core design with triple-core graphics -- it's how that design is shaped that makes the difference. Apple chose to lay out the two processor cores by hand rather than let a computer do the work, as most ARM partners do. The procedure is expensive and slow, but also gives the A6 a better-optimized design; it explains why the chip is noticeably faster than much of its competition without needing the brute force approaches of higher clock speeds or extra cores. Some mysteries remain, such as the exact PowerVR graphics that are at work, but it's evident Apple now has the design talent and resources to speed up mobile devices on its own terms rather than wait for off-the-shelf layouts like the Cortex-A15.
How the iPhone 5 got its 'insanely great' A6 processor
It's hard not to be impressed by the A6 engine in the new iPhone 5, since it's now proven to deliver a double-shot of great performance and class-leading battery life. But silicon stories like that don't happen over night or even over the course of a year -- in fact, analyst Linley Gwennap has traced the origins of the A6 all the way back to 2008, when Steve Jobs purchased processor design company P.A. Semi and set one of its teams to work on creating something "insanely great" for mobile devices. Although Apple is steadfastly secretive about its components, Gwennap's history of the A6 (linked below) is both plausible and a straight-up good read for anyone interested in the more fundamental aspects of their gadgets. Whereas the A5 processor stuck closely to ARM's Cortex-A9 design, Gwennap is convinced -- just like Anandtech is --that the A6 treads a very different path: it's still based on ARM's architecture and it's likely fabricated by Samsung using a cutting-edge 32nm process, but it's an in-house vision of what a mobile chip should be. It's the culmination of four years of hard work and perhaps half a billion dollars of investment. That's not to say it's the most powerful chip out there, or even the chip most tailored to its host device -- after all, Samsung also designs great chips for some of its own smartphones. Indeed, Gwennap says that the A6 is probably a dual-core processor that is no more complex than Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 (let alone the S4 Pro) or the forthcoming generation of Cortex-A15 chips, while its clock speed could be as low as 1.2GHz -- versus a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos in the Note II and even a 2GHz Intel chip in Motorola's new RAZR i. However, Gwennap predicted that even if the A6 falls short of its rivals "in raw CPU performance," it'd make up for it in terms of low power consumption -- which is precisely what we've confirmed in our review.
Apple: A6 chip in iPhone 5 has 2x CPU power, 2x graphics performance, yet consumes less energy
Every new iPhone needs a new engine, and Tim Cook has just made some bold claims about Apple's latest silicon creation: the A6 processor. He hinted at a significant shrinkage in transistor size, allowing the chip to be 22 percent smaller than the A5 and hence more energy-efficient, while at the same time -- he says -- doubling all-round CPU and graphics capabilities. By way of practical benefits, the Apple CEO promises the Pages app will load up 2.1x faster than before, while Keynote attachments will hit the screen 1.7x faster. At this point we're lacking any further detail about cores or clock speeds or indeed who actually fabricated the A6 (still Samsung, after all that bitterness?), but Apple does tend to be close-lipped on such things. In the meantime, bring on the benchmarks! Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!
Next-generation iPad rumored to be in production for March release
It's January, and that means it's time to ramp up the iPad rumors to full frenzy mode. Japanese rumor site Macotakara, which has been surprisingly accurate when it comes to speculation about upcoming iPads, says that the next-generation iPad is now in production in anticipation of a release in March, 2012. Macotakara's sources in China say that Foxconn and Pegatron will share production of the new iPad, with Foxconn grabbing a full 85 percent of the orders. The site says that the initial devices will be outfitted with Sharp LCD display panels, allowing 2048 x 1536 resolution without adding weight and thickness to the iPad. As you can see above, the Macotakara has also been accumulating images from Chinese sources of what appear to be replacement parts for the next-generation iPad. The report from Japan also includes design teasers that are in line with what iLounge's Jeremy Horwitz was stating this week -- the device is visually similar to the iPad 2, and the Smart Cover and other accessories should work with the new iPad. Horwitz reportedly saw an next-generation iPad prototype just before CES, noting that the new device is about 1 mm thicker than the iPad 2 and has a slightly larger opening for the rear camera lens. Horwitz revealed the design of the iPad 2 last year through a similar encounter, so there could be some validity to this rumor. Horwitz also noted that the prototype he saw could be as much as six months old, so the design could have changed prior to going into production. Speculation about what's under the glass and aluminum of the new device is rampant, with a quad-core A6 being seen as a possibility to power the next iPad. GigaOM's Darrell Etherington even wondered if the device might be given the "iPad 2S" moniker, indicating big changes inside with few cosmetic differences from the iPad 2. What do you think about these rumors? Would the addition of a quad-core chip make you upgrade from your existing iPad? We want to hear your opinions in the comments.
Apple adding DisplayPort to iOS devices?
Not content with just building offices in the shape of UFOs, Apple is on the hunt for a "Signal Integrity Manager." That's an engineer who balances the noise that chips and circuit boards emit -- which, if left unchecked could overpower your iOS devices' data signals. Apple is specifically looking for someone with DisplayPort experience (plus ten years general experience and two years leading a small team) to work on future chip development -- like the A6. The move suggests that the standard could be coming in the future, but since the position is still listed, it seems unlikely that we'll see DisplayPort included with the next iPhone / iPad at this point.
Apple's A6 processor may come courtesy of TSMC, Samsung left to wonder why
Apple's fondness for anorexic handhelds knows no bounds, and if this alleged deal with the Asian foundry holds water, expect to see its waistband tighten further. Rumoured back before the iPad 2 launch, the house-that-Steve-built's reportedly been eyeing Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp to produce an 'A6' for its upcoming iPhone refresh. While it's easy to dismiss this purported move as a direct diss to Samsung, what's more likely is that Cupertino's engaging in a competitive bit of size does matter -- specifically, the A5's 45nm process. A transition to newer, lower power 28nm ARM chips would give Jonathan Ives' employer a distinct market advantage, dwarfing even TSMC's current 40nm in the process. While it's all still just speculation for now, only time and an iPhone 5 tear-down will tell for sure.
