XScale ARM CPU in iPhone?

[MacRumors]

An IlSole24ore.com interview with Intel executive Dario Bucci reveals that the processor in the Apple iPhone will be based on the XScale architechture. Google Translation:

The micropchip of new Apple iPhone they are Intel?
Not, they are not ours but of Marvell, the society which we have yielded the activities that comprised the XScale architecture. Apple is however one of the main Intel customers for how much care the flash memory and in the new one finishes them is our Nand.

XScale is an implementation of the ARM architecture originally designed by Intel. Intel's PXA family of XScale processors, aimed at mobile phone applications, was sold to Marvell in June 2006. When the iPhone was first released, there had been speculative claims that Samsung's ARM chip would be used but this had never been verified. If Bucci's comments are accurate, then it appears that Marvell will be supplying the CPUs for the iPhone.

Marvell currently lists 3 families of mobile application processors on their website: PXA3xx, PXA 27x, and PXA255.

Marvell applications processors deliver advanced integration, leading multimedia performance, and superior power savings for cellular phone, PDA, handheld consumer, and embedded markets. Based on the Intel® XScale technology and featuring integrated memory, Marvell’s applications processors are ideal solutions for low-power, space-sensitive devices. Marvell silicon provides the headroom for advanced applications within a range of power specifications, so manufacturers can differentiate their offerings now and into the future. From streaming video to mixing MP3s, the Marvell suite of applications processors delivers advanced multimedia performance with enhanced battery life to feature-hungry technology consumers on the go.

The 2006 sale of the technology to Marvell would explain an early denial by Intel that it is producing the processor for the iPhone.

[Xyl]

Just one comment, maybe someone from MR that actually speaks German should translate it. It's just so funny reading that Google translation.

[snowdon]

G'Day,

The XScale core was based on the StrongARM core, (used in the Newton, etc). It was originally designed by Digital, so they used a lot of the same techniques as was used in the Alpha. Intel aquired that technology, and created the XScale as something like StrongARM version 2. PXAs, and XScales in general, are in, well, a bunch of different types of devices, and are a nice piece of gear.

Dave Snowdon,
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~daves

[iomar]

It sound good ... I can't wait for iPhone.

[Doctor Q]

Originally Posted by Xyl

Just one comment, maybe someone from MR that actually speaks German should translate it. It's just so funny reading that Google translation.

We'll try to do that. In the meantime, a native speaker is welcome to post a better translation.

[Americanloti]

a better translation (I hope)

"Are Apple iPhone microchips made by Intel?

No, they are not ours, They are Marvell’s, a company we gave out all our activities that includes the XScale architecture. Apple however is one of our main clients for Flash memory. The new device is powered by our Nand."

Just one comment, maybe someone from MR that actually speaks German should translate it.

ilSole24Ore is the Italian (not German) equivalent of the Wall Street Journal.

[EDIT]: not sure about the word gave out; my English is not that good. Probably yielded is a better translation now that I look it up on the dictionary. ( I thought the yield means generate, I guess I was wrong)

[Xyl]

Originally Posted by Americanloti

a better translation (I hope)

"Are Apple iPhone microchips made by Intel?

No, they are not ours, They are Marvell’s, a company we gave out all our activities that includes the XScale architecture. Apple however is one of our main clients for Flash memory. The new device is powered by our Nand."


ilSole24Ore is the Italian (not German) equivalent of the Wall Street Journal.

Thanks for the translation (esp. the last sentence)! The Google translation is interpretable, but just sounds funny . And I don't know where I got the idea that it was German , maybe it's a sign I should go to bed instead of staying up and reading MR .

[VicMacs]

so now we have mac os on ppc, intel and XScale, nice

[Americanloti]

Originally Posted by Xyl

Thanks for the translation (esp. the last sentence)! The Google translation is interpretable, but just sounds funny . And I don't know where I got the idea that it was German , maybe it's a sign I should go to bed instead of staying up and reading MR .

Yeah, the last sentence is completely nosense. Glad I could help!

[darwen]

I don't get it. The grammer in this post makes it very hard to read.

[SWC]

Hopefully they don't cheap out on the processor. My HTC has horrible response to a lot of commands because phone companies like to put the cheapest chip in there possible to keep costs down.

[4JNA]

make me buy a phone... twist my ARM...

can't wait to pop the back off, and hack in a hard drive and bigger battery.

[ChrisA]

So Mac OS X runs on ARM? Wouldn't it be fun to try to get it to run on other non-iPhone ARM hardware? Like the Linksys 54G router.

Or even one of these:
http://www.iyonix.com/

[twoodcc]

Originally Posted by iomar

It sound good ... I can't wait for iPhone.

i agree ....hopefully it'll somehow start shipping before june....

[kgretton]

Just to clear this up, ARM was originally designed in 1983 by Acorn Computers in Cambridge, UK.

The ARM chip was used in Acorn's next major PC design after the original 6502-based BBC Microcomputer.

Digital licensed the design and produced their own version called StrongARM which was subsequently acquired by Intel.

[iMan]

Q: The chips in the new Apple iPhone are made by Intel?

A: No, they’re Marvell’s. We sold our Xscale architecture to this company. However Apple is one of our best customers for flash memories and our NANDs are featured in the new handheld.


From daringfireball

[TangoCharlie]

XScale is an implementation of the ARM architecture originally designed by Intel. Intel's PXA family of XScale processors

The ARM design is from ARM a chip design company in the UK. The XScale chip is an ARM implementationorigianlly from Intel but now
Marvel.

The ARM system was spun-out from Acorn Computers and originally stood for Acorn Risc Machine. ARM now stands for Advanced Risc Machine.

ARM processors and derivatives are the worlds most successful embedded CPUs and have been used in PDAs, phones, portable media solutions and SatNavs.

[Hattig]

XScale is an implementation of the ARM architecture originally designed by Intel

No, the ARM architecture was designed at Acorn in the mid-late 80s as a replacement for the 6502 that was used in Acorn machines at the time. ARM2s were used in the first Acorn Archimedes computers IIRC.

An ARM610 was used in the Newton.

Digital acquired a license to the architecture and designed the StrongARM, which was widely used. Intel got this technology as part of a deal with Digital, and turned it into the XScale. Intel also killed off Alpha at this time, and should forever be punished for it!

ARM has dozens - if not hundreds or thousands - of ARM licensees who use different ARM core designs within their products. XScale/StrongARM is a non-ARM designed core.

[eric67]

Originally Posted by snowdon

G'Day,

The XScale core was based on the StrongARM core, (used in the Newton, etc). It was originally designed by Digital, so they used a lot of the same techniques as was used in the Alpha. Intel aquired that technology, and created the XScale as something like StrongARM version 2. PXAs, and XScales in general, are in, well, a bunch of different types of devices, and are a nice piece of gear.

Dave Snowdon,
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~daves

I can NOT believe that one can quote wikipedia about hte ARM processor and write in the same sentence that ARM PCU were designed originally by Intel. This is simply wrong and misleading, and could also explain why people keeps making hypothesis about the ARM processor in the iPhone.
part of wikipedia tewt:
Unlike other microprocessor corporations such as AMD, Intel, Freescale (formerly Motorola) and Renesas (formerly Hitachi and Mitsubishi), ARM only licenses its technology as intellectual property (IP), rather than manufacturing its own CPUs. Thus, there are a few dozen companies making processors based on ARM's designs. Intel, Freescale and Renesas have all licensed ARM technology. In 2005, 1.7 billion chips based on an ARM design were manufactured.

last but not least, the memory in hte iphone comes from a joint venture created by Intel and Micron. The ARM could also be provided by Freescale.

[Doctor Q]

Thanks for pointing out the translation, iMan, and thank you to Daring Fireball. That translation was the best of the ones we received.

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by VicMacs

so now we have mac os on ppc, intel and XScale, nice

And 0X0 Motorola not PPC, although not OSX . . . yet . . .

Rocketman

Originally Posted by 4JNA

make me buy a phone... twist my ARM...

can't wait to pop the back off, and hack in a hard drive and bigger battery.

I am betting on a dongle with the same/similar form factor as the ATN (iPhone) which has dual iPod HD's a massive battery and some functionality Apple leaves out to guarantee future upgrade revenue.

Evidence:

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10476

Rocketman

[ClimbingTheLog]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

So Mac OS X runs on ARM? Wouldn't it be fun to try to get it to run on other non-iPhone ARM hardware? Like the Linksys 54G router.

That runs a Broadcomm implementation of a MIPS core, not an ARM.

Originally Posted by Rocketman

And 0X0 Motorola not PPC, although not OSX . . . yet . . .

Sure, when OSX was called NeXTStep it ran on 68030's and better.

Hey, OSX on my Palm Pilot!