Apple Testing A5X Variant in iPhone Prototype Disguised in iPhone 4/4S Body?

[MacRumors]

9to5Mac claims that Apple is internally testing new iPhone hardware that is based on a variant of the A5X system-on-a-chip used in the new iPad, with the company disguising the hardware in existing iPhone 4/4S bodies in order to keep its potential plans for a new form factor a secret.

Much like they did last year, Apple has internally seeded a prototype next-generation iPhone with the iPhone 4 design. The actual next-generation iPhone is specifically said to not include the iPhone 4/4S design, but Apple is testing these new devices in older casings to throw off leaks. The purpose of the prototype iPhone that we heard about is to test a variation of the "A5X" chip in an iPhone.

With the A5X having been designed with quad-core graphics in order to drive the Retina display of the new iPad, the variant being used in the iPhone prototype will emphasize other performance gains coming from the S5L8945X application processor included in the package. Like the new iPad, the prototype iPhone 5 reportedly includes 1 GB of RAM, up from the 512 MB found in the iPhone 4S. According to the report, the test iPhone 5 hardware carries a code name of N96.

The report also cites evidence of an "iPod5,1" reference in iOS 5.1 code suggesting that Apple is working on a hardware update for the iPod touch. The device was left nearly untouched in last October's update, with the addition of white models being the primary physical change to the lineup as the iPod touch retained the A4 chip even as the iPhone 4S received an upgrade to the A5.

Article Link: Apple Testing A5X Variant in iPhone Prototype Disguised in iPhone 4/4S Body?

 

[Raftysworld]

iPhone 4GS

 

[madrag]

the new iPhone.

 

[foodog]

Oh God! Here we go.

 

[j1787]

I hope it's just a "disguise"

 

[ThunderSkunk]

iPhone 4GS5X

I sincerely hope they change that form factor. Two years of that clunky brick is enough.

 

[Raftysworld]

Seriously though, if the next iPhone has an A5X, that's pretty disappointing.

 

[Simplicated]

Seriously though, if the next iPhone has an A5X, that's pretty disappointing.

Quad-core CPUs mean nothing. The entire system has to be fluid and pleasant to use, which most top-of-the-line Android phones still fail to achieve.

 

[Rennir]

I was looking forward to the A6 SoC

 

[atomicbloke]

THis guarantees that the next new iPhone will have a 9-inch screen.

 

[lifeguard90]

jeez, whats with all the iOS rumors and news coming, its Mac time come on. One rumor of anti glare for iMac is not enough. We know Ivy Bridge is coming on the 29th/ we basically know there will be a different 15" notebook, repeating the same lines for over a year on that idea. we want more Mac hardware news

 

[basesloaded190]

This is going to be a long summer if we are already getting rumors about the next iPhone which might not come out until September

 

[ECUpirate44]

I'm thinking thinner iPhone 4 like design.

 

[Raftysworld]

Quad-core CPUs mean nothing. The entire system has to be fluid and pleasant to use, which most top-of-the-line Android phones still fail to achieve.

They mean nothing? Really? Are you also advocating that we go back to a single-core processor since the iPhone 4 also had a "fluid" and "pleasant to use" system?

I'm not saying specs are everything, and I'm not saying Android is more fluid than iOS. But as iOS and the apps for it continue to evolve, they will demand higher processing power, and the A5 chipset is going to be a year and a half old when the iPhone is released.

 

[WannaGoMac]

WOW no CPU upgrade??? That chip is just more GPUs, whats the point?

 

[WhoDaKat]

Seriously though, if the next iPhone has an A5X, that's pretty disappointing.

Who cares? I don't care if it has purple unicorns in it, as long as it is the appropriate speed for the device. All these new iPhone/iPad customers don't seem to get what it means to be an Apple customer.

 

[TMay]

not enough 28nm fab available for A6?

If Apple goes with the A5X for the iPhone 5, it is likely because there isn't enough capacity in Samsung's and/or TSMC's 28nm fab for volume A6 production, or tapeout has not gone well, again.

There are current reports that other designs from Broadcom and Qualcomm being delayed.

Still, this is probably just prudence on Apple's part to test the A5X.

 

[justperry]

Isn't the A5X much bigger than the A4 or A5, must be without the quad core graphics, otherwise it's way too big.
What do you need a Quad core for on a phone, seems to me the (smaller)A5X is capable enough.

 

[AQUADock]

Two years of that clunky brick is enough.

The current iPhone is hardly "clunky".

 

[Dragonmount]

I was looking forward to the A6 SoC

if they would have called it A6, would you be happy?

 

[Ryth]

I hope it's just a "disguise"

iPhones in disguise...

 

[Hastings101]

I like the current form factor, except for the glass on the back. That was just a bad idea in my opinion. It looks nice but god help you if you drop it at a height of over a couple of inches. Wish they'd go back to something more sturdy like the previous iPhones.

 

[macmastersam]

why not an A6 chip apple? with quad-core processors as well as quad core graphics?

 

[Ryth]

why not an A6 chip?

A 6 in the 5...think about the irony.

 

[ipader]

I suppose bringing it bars would be strictly prohibited!