A7

Additional iPhone 5S spyshots suggest all-new A7 chip

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

MacRumors last week shared a genuinely-looking photograph believed to picture the back of the iPhone 5S. Virtually identical to the current iPhone 5, the image did tell us that Apple's upcoming S-upgrade will sport dual-LED flash for better low-light photos, especially coupled with a rumored twelve-megapixel camera. Today, the publication posted a new high-resolution photo suggesting that the upcoming iPhone revision could run a brand new A7 chip rather than a variant of the existing A6 silicon powering Apple's latest-generation iPhone and iPad...

Pro-Samsung paper: Apple excluded Samsung from A7 chip production

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 10, 2013

We've been hearing lots of rumors claiming that Apple is taking its lucrative chip biz contract away from Samsung in the final sign that the partnership between the two firms on parts has all but fallen apart. What's really interesting this time around is that a Korean publication that typically favors Samsung now claims that Apple has excluded Samsung entirely from its next-generation chip development project.

That's a major development knowing Apple's been paying billions of dollars to the Galaxy maker's semiconductor arm to manufacture iDevice processor, using Apple-designed silicon blueprints...

TSMC allegedly finalizing Apple A7 chip designs

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's leading independent semiconductor foundry, is reportedly finalizing production designs for Apple's in-house engineered A7 processor expected to power a 2014 wave of iPhone, iPad and iPod upgrades. If a new supply chain report is anything to go by, the chip will be fabbed on TSMC's 20-nanometer process technology, reportedly moving into risk production in May-June, with volume shipments expected in the first quarter of 2014.

TSMC has long been speculated to enter Apple's supply chain and become a manufacturer of the engine which powers iDevices. So far, Apple has fabbed all of its iDevice chips at Samsung's plant in Austin, Texas. This is the first time TSMC has been reported as actually prepping to manufacture Apple's next-gen A-series chip. Earlier this week, we heard that in addition to TSMC, Samsung and Intel are also vying for Apple chip contracts...

Samsung, TSMC and Intel competing for contracts to build A7 chips for Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2017

Another report surfaced this morning that gives us more reasons to believe that Apple is indeed looking to diversify its chip making contracts which thus far have been an exclusive Samsung domain. The somewhat accurate Asian trade publication DigiTimes quoted "institutional investors" who believe that chip giant Intel has been contracted to produce about ten percent of Apple's planned capacity for a next-generation iPhone and iPad processor, the A7 chip.

Moreover, Apple is apparently spreading those orders across Samsung, Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung will reportedly build about half of Apple's A7 orders, TSMC should take care of an additional 40 percent while Intel will get the remaining ten percent of orders. Rumor mills have been reporting for at least a year that Apple has been looking to move its chip biz away from rival Samsung, which currently builds all iPhone, iPad and iPod processors at its Austin, Texas plant...

Likely doctored photo claims to depict iPhone 5S motherboard with A7 processor

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 20, 2017

A web site with an unestablished track record when it comes to Apple reporting has posted a claimed photograph of the iPhone 5S motherboard with Apple's A7 system-on-a-chip. Of course, the A7 silicon is widely expected to power the next-generation iPhone, the iPhone 5S, but the authenticity of this particular blurry image couldn't be confirmed at post time.

What's more, one credible publication has challenged the authenticity of the photograph by zooming in on the chip label to spot some unnatural looking pixels that give it away...

Apple seeking silicon wizards as it preps to fully customize A7 chip for 2013 iOS devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Speedier, smaller and even more power-efficient mobile chip designs are already in the works for future iOS devices so it comes as little surprise that Apple remains on a hiring spree, seeking talented semiconductor experts left and right.

As you know, Apple's current system-on-a-chip (SoC) modules found inside iPhones, iPods and iPads typically pack in several processing and graphic cores, in addition to the memory controller, RAM and the essential control logic - all onto a single piece of silicon die.

A new job posting reveals Apple is looking for an "SoC Modelling Architect / Lead" who will be tasked with managing its in-house team which designs next-generation processors for iOS devices...