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Apple TV's A5 Chip Includes Surprise Die Shrink to 32nm [Updated: Same Chip Found in iPad 2]
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True, but it's essentially an unimportant distinction to the user. This is a point that Apple usually cares about- hide the innards because they don't matter to the user. In that context, it's a perfectly valid point, and by Apple's own standards. Capacity is all that matters.
Looks like this is for the "new" iPad2 and any possible mini iPad along with the ATV.
A new Touch would likely get it also. I would not assume that this is going into the new iPhone although it could go into the 4s.
This new A5 seems to be made for cost cutting and power saving. I think the iPhone will get the A6
A new Touch would likely get it also. I would not assume that this is going into the new iPhone although it could go into the 4s.
This new A5 seems to be made for cost cutting and power saving. I think the iPhone will get the A6
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Isn't that exactly the niche Kindle Fire is targeting?
I've always said it's closer to the touch than anything else from apple, and I suspect those are the sales it will most effect. Apple has let the touch coast for a while now but now it has some actual competition, so hopefully they'll make it competitive again.
Im no analyst but maybe to solve the battery issues they might scrap it and keep it mains powered?
Valid point, so here's probably what happened.
1) They could get limited quantity of the 64GB NAND chips, so they all went to iPhones
or 2) They determined potential sales of a 128GB iPod touch didn't make sense in their market given potential pricing for said device.
or 3) They simply didn't want to add yet another size and SKU to the iPod touch lineup.
Could be, but I doubt for the next iPhone, given there's already a name out there for an 'A6' chip and the GPU power doesn't make sense for the 960x640 screen.
Nope. Someone already posted that the fully functional dual cores are already being used in the low cost iPad 2.
This chip WILL be in the 6th Gen iPhone.
The new iPhone will practically be a 4S with new outer design and die shrunk A5 for better battery life and a bigger battery because of bigger screen and LTE.
THAT'S MY PREDICTION YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST LOL
The new iPhone will practically be a 4S with new outer design and die shrunk A5 for better battery life and a bigger battery because of bigger screen and LTE.
THAT'S MY PREDICTION YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST LOL
A little bit, but it's not exactly pocketable. Honestly, a 10 year old would want an iPod more than a Kindle, I think. Smaller really is better for that exact demographic.
And even if it IS targeting them, that's what...1 device? There are dozens and dozens of devices going after the iPad. The imbalance is still very lopsided.
Its possible but unlikely. Usually the fab will blow fuses/laser gates that disable the CPU. This is very common in GPUs where they not only test new parts on new processes but derive a lot of submodels from a single part by disabling functional units.
Samsung's Galaxy Player comes close with GPS and an FM radio over the Touch. Then again in the $200-300 range there enough Android phone options to choose from. You are stuck on Gingerbread for the majority of them though.
2012 is going to be interesting with more budget dual core options , A15, and Tegra 3+/4. Maybe Google and vendors can get more ICS hardware before 5.0 is out.
I guess they did not fuse them on die but only in BIOS. It was a popular trend when they first came out with few bad results. Maybe a few extra degrees Celsius or watts that AMD did not want to send to the HD 6790 line.
So if Apple has a 32nm process A5 working perfectly and in full production, why the hell didn't they use that for the iPad 3? Considering that the A5X is the largest, most power-hungry SoC core ever, wouldn't it have benefited tremendously from a smaller fab--there would be less heat and greater battery life.
Seems like a perfect way to validate and refine a manufacturing process... lower volumes are needed for AppleTV, it is ok if one core is dead, it could even have memory blocks that could be dead and still fit the requirements, etc.
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How do you know it is working perfectly and in the volumes even close to what is needed for the iPad 3? ...seeing how it isn't in the iPad 3 I can almost 100% assure you that the process wasn't ready in terms of volume, yield, costs and/or maturity for the newer A5X.
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Makes perfect sense to try out a newer higher-risk lower-volume production run on a "hobby" product instead of one's cash-cow revenue stream.
Depending on the leading edge of the semiconductor process roadmap to deliver in volume on time can be quite perilous... (anyone here still waiting for their 4 GHZ G5 PowerBook?)
Depending on the leading edge of the semiconductor process roadmap to deliver in volume on time can be quite perilous... (anyone here still waiting for their 4 GHZ G5 PowerBook?)
This would be my guess. Put the chip in a low volume device in order to get the kinks out of your manurfacturing process. Then be ready to crank up the production volume for the iPhone 5.
What products would use a dual-core A5? If both cores are good, it would be used in those product. If one of the cores was bad, it would be used in the Apple TV. Great way to make use of defective parts that would normally be scrapped out.
It was likely a combination of too much design risk and not enough fab capacity to make A5X on a 32nm process. I can guarantee they would have wanted to if they could do it sensibly.
There's no evidence to cause us to believe the 4S is using or will use it in the near future.
What purpose would there be even if it was possible? the Apple TV doesn't do anything remotely close to needing dual core. What do you want to do, play 4 movies at the same time?
Probably to gear up production for a low cost 4s to be released next to the iPhone 5/6/8 or whatever it will be called.