Apple Watch Likely Uses BCM4334 Broadcom Wi-Fi Chip

[MacRumors]

Chipworks has done an impressive amount of investigative work on the Apple Watch and has managed to determine that the device appears to incorporate a BCM4334 Wi-Fi chip from Broadcom.

Chipworks spotted the chip in the video introduction of the Apple Watch, which shows Apple's custom designed S1 Apple Watch chip in separate layers. Based on screenshots from the video, Chipworks determined that one of the chips towards the top of the processor resembled a Wi-Fi chip. The pattern specifically matched up with the Broadcom BCM4334.

The Wi-Fi chip on the S1 compared to the Broadcom BCM4334​

What really caught my eye is the part located in the centre at the top. The pattern of contacts beneath it shows that it is a wafer-scale package flip-bonded directly to the board. To me, that pattern looks like a WiFi chip layout. [...]

So we then compared the pattern on the board to the most likely Broadcom WiFi chips. The pattern of contacts matches a BCM4334 single-chip dual-band combo device.

The Broadcom BCM4334 is a single-chip dual-band combo that combines 802.11 a/b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.0 and an integrated FM radio receiver. It's been used in the iPhone and iPad, and in Samsung devices in the past, and it's designed for minimal power consumption in a compact size.

Though the Apple Watch appears to contain its own dedicated Wi-Fi chip, Apple indicates that it will not be able to connect to Wi-Fi on its own. The Apple Watch will instead rely on the iPhone's Wi-Fi connection, perhaps using its internal Wi-Fi for communicating with a paired iPhone under certain circumstances.

It is impressive that Chipworks was able to determine a part from the Apple Watch just from a video, especially because the device is still months away from shipping to consumers. According to Apple, the watch will be released in early 2015, with prices beginning at $349.

Article Link: Apple Watch Likely Uses BCM4334 Broadcom Wi-Fi Chip

 

[farewelwilliams]

where "Enhance...enhance...enhance..." actually applies.

 

[troop231]

FM radio? If Apple actually uses this part of the chip, then sweet!

 

[lumaxis]

Does this mean the iPhone theoretically can receive FM radio?!

 

[chirpie]

where "Enhance...enhance...enhance..." actually applies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhF_56SxrGk

LOL

 

[Patriot24]

The more we learn about the S1, the more impressive it is going to be. It is an amazing piece of component design and miniaturization. We tend to take these things for granted in today's world.

 

[Yakibomb]

The Broadcom BCM4334 is a single-chip dual-band combo that combines 802.11 a/b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.0 and an integrated FM radio receiver.

Ooo this could be interesting

 

[cariacou]

pretty darn impressive!

 

[brucerb]

From the Apple press release on the Apple Watch on Sept 9th"

"Apple Watch also features Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.0 to pair seamlessly with your iPhone."
"Apple Watch uses the accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS and Wi-Fi from your iPhone to provide a comprehensive picture of your daily activity.

This implies they won't be using the a and n wifi in the chip. Why? Maybe b and g use less power; b and g penetrate walls better. Perhaps they want you to be able to move further away from your iPhone than Bluetooth permits.

https://www.apple.com/pr/library/20...e-Watch-Apples-Most-Personal-Device-Ever.html

Other Apple mentions of Wi-Fi:
From the Technology page for the Apple Watch:
"GPS. Apple Watch uses the GPS and Wi‑Fi in your iPhone to help measure the distance you travel during activities that can’t be measured in steps, such as cycling."
http://www.apple.com/watch/technology/
And the Features page:
"And it uses the GPS and Wi‑Fi in your iPhone to track how far you’ve moved."
http://www.apple.com/watch/features/

Despite all their videos showing Watch-wearing joggers with no mention of the phone, it looks like you're going to have that phone on you or fairly close to you for gps related functions to work.

 

[tito2020]

Does this mean the iPhone theoretically can receive FM radio?!

Fm radio is obselete all stations are hd now

 

[Parasprite]

Does this mean the iPhone theoretically can receive FM radio?!

Somehow I highly doubt the FM receiver would be used for receiving public radio (music, etc.).

According to the article, Apple uses the same chip for Apple Watch, iPhones, and iPads. I haven't read up on the tech behind how Apple devices identify/talk to each other without pairing or networks, but it may work in conjunction with Bluetooth/wifi/NFC for things like continuity, AirPlay, and the like (there are probably much better examples, but I can't think of any).

Again, this is a complete guess.

 

[PGamache]

Chipworks tearing down the iPhone 6 tomorrow

Hey folks, make sure to check out Chipworks teardown on the iPhone 6. They are notifying email subscribers when their teardown blog is live: http://bit.ly/1wDUnKN

 

[captain cadet]

There are some sad people out there spending all their days looking at chips..

 

[Parasprite]

Fm radio is obselete all stations are hd now

From what I understand, HD (hybrid digital) stations are both analog and digital combined into one FM signal.

Put another way, in one the receiver saying "okay, this is an analog signal, I'll make sound out of it" and in he other it says "Ah, this is 1's and 0's. I'll grab as much as I can and pass it along to the chip and let them deal with it (hopefully I grabbed enough)".

It's still FM, just interpreted as digital data instead of analog.

 

[MeFromHere]

Fm radio is obselete all stations are hd now

Well that's certainly not true in my area.

 

[Parasprite]

There are some sad people out there spending all their days looking at chips..

And eventually ending up in hospital due to lack of proper exercise and a high-salt diet.

 

[baryon]

Yeah it caught my eye too in that video. I immediately thought "hey that looks a lot like the contact arrangement pattern of the BCM4334 Broadcom WiFi Chip".

 

[Parasprite]

This implies they won't be using the a and n wifi in the chip. Why? Maybe b and g use less power; b and g penetrate walls better. Perhaps they want you to be able to move further away from your iPhone than Bluetooth permits.

I can't imagine it would benefit much from the higher data rate, it isn't like it is going to be used for going on MacRumors and watching YouTube.

 

[MeFromHere]

Ooo this could be interesting

The first problem with FM radio on the Apple Watch is that there's nowhere to connect an external antenna. My iPods only have FM capability when I plug in wired earbuds; the wire doubles as the antenna.

 

[DanielSw]

There are some sad people out there spending all their days looking at chips..

It's all you "Get a life"-ers who are the sad lot.

 

[tito2020]

And eventually ending up in hospital due to lack of proper exercise and a high-salt diet.

IPhone 6 can make you easily go broke lol

 

[3282868]

So theoretically the device could connect to the internet w/o an iPhone, but Apple may have chosen to rely an iPhone's connection to save battery power. Would be interesting if Apple "solves" battery life before launch, allowing full wifi capabilities.

 

[macaron95]

"based on screenshots from the video, Chipworks determined that one of the chips towards the top of the processor resembled a Wi-Fi chip"

this is the most stupid thing i've ever heard

 

[Amazing Iceman]

will someone ever use the FM Receiver?
Video may have killed the Radio Star, but now Pandora, iTunes Radio, iTunes Match and Spotify have killed the Radio itself.

 

[Yakibomb]

The first problem with FM radio on the Apple Watch is that there's nowhere to connect an external antenna. My iPods only have FM capability when I plug in wired earbuds; the wire doubles as the antenna.

I forgot about that, and unfortunately I can't see them "innovating" themselves away from this problem