Apple moving to Qualcomm chips?

[Bateluer]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/exclusive-the-future-of-the-ipad-2-iphone-5-and-apple-tv-and/

The new iPad will feature a dual GSM / CDMA chipset produced by Qualcomm and will mark Apple's shift away from Infineon as its chipset maker to Qualcomm for all of its mobile devices. It's not clear if the chipset being used will be based on the company's EV-DO / HSPA Gobi variety or an entirely new design. Presumably, the strength of the new dual-mode chipset is that it will allow both Verizon and AT&T to offer the iPad simultaneously.

But all of these moves are leading up to the iPhone 5 -- a completely redesigned handset -- which our sources say is on track for a summer launch. Right now, the device is being tested discreetly by senior staff at Apple (strictly on campus only). We don't have much info on the phone at this point, but our understanding is that the new device will be a total rethink from a design standpoint and will be running atop Apple's new A5 CPU (a Cortex A9-based, multi-core chip). This device, like the iPad 2, will feature a Qualcomm chipset that does triple duty as the CDMA / GSM / UMTS baseband processor -- from what we hear there's no LTE in the mix at this point.

One other interesting tidbit: Apple is at work on the second generation of its redesigned Apple TV, which will include that new A5 processor. The CPU is said to be blazingly fast, cranking out 1080p video "like running water." It's likely that the A5 will make it into the iPad 2 as well, but we have yet to confirm that.

So what does this all mean? Besides the surprise of an SD slot on the iPad, it all sounds fairly routine. It's the complete move away from Infineon to Qualcomm that's truly notable -- marking one of the biggest shifts in suppliers and technology since the advent of the original iPhone. We're working on getting more detail on all of these devices, and as soon as we do, you guys will be the first to know!

Interesting that there's an SD slot on the iPad 2, at least, on prototypes and engineering samples anyway. Should be good business for Qualcomm. Wonder if AMD regrets selling their mobile division to them? Granted, AMD was in dire financial straits then and probably wouldn't have been able to develop any of the products that Qualcomm has from the tech they acquired . . .

 

[Patranus]

I wonder if Apple is bringing their own chip design (or modification) to the table or using the stock chipsets Qualcomm offers.

 

[Bateluer]

I wonder if Apple is bringing their own chip design (or modification) to the table or using the stock chipsets Qualcomm offers.

The Engadget article makes it sound likes they're just using their radio and modem chips? I believe Apple intends to develop their own SoC, and possibly CPU architecture.

 

[senseamp]

Just baseband chip, the CPU will still be Apple's. I don't know what AMD regrets, but Imageon would not have been as useful to them as it is to Qualcomm. GPU cores are integrated into SOC's now, and AMD does not have a mobile SOC business, nor the resources to start one.

 

[Bateluer]

Just baseband chip, the CPU will still be Apple's. I don't know what AMD regrets, but Imageon would not have been as useful to them as it is to Qualcomm. GPU cores are integrated into SOC's now, and AMD does not have a mobile SOC business, nor the resources to start one.

The A4 is a Samsung designed SoC with a PowerVR SGX 535 GPU. Only thing Apple added were some instruction sets they acquired from Intrinsity.

 

[akugami]

The Engadget article makes it sound likes they're just using their radio and modem chips? I believe Apple intends to develop their own SoC, and possibly CPU architecture.

Apple in recent years bought out PA Semi (specialize in power efficient PowerPC) as well as Intrinsity (specialize in power efficient ARM). I wouldn't put it past Apple to make custom ARM processors. I don't know how much IP they retain from the original PowerPC agreement with IBM and Motorola but it's not out of the question for Apple to enter into ARM CPU designs when it's such an important part of their future product lines (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV).

 

[Pliablemoose]

Wait, no one is freaking out about removable memory on the iPad 2?

Cats and dogs are playing together here people, combined with the mass bird deaths, this could be another sign of the apocalypse.