FCC iPad Images Reveal Broadcom Chip, Apple A4, Toshiba Flash Memory

[MacRumors]

A closer look at the FCC images reveal that the obscured chip parts were actually blacked out with a layer embedded in the PDF. A quick manipulation reveals the actual underlying chips.

Unsurprisingly, the main processor is an Apple A4, but the new images reveal that Apple is using Toshiba Flash memory and a Broadcom BCM5973 chip. iFixit is doing a full analysis of the newly revealed images.

Article Link: FCC iPad Images Reveal Broadcom Chip, Apple A4, Toshiba Flash Memory

 

[whyrichard]

good undercover work

 

[RMo]

Have we learned nothing about using layers to "black out" things in PDFs?

http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/06/22/138210.shtml ... and I know there's been a ton of others.

 

[rumplestiltskin]

God bless you, iFixit! You saved my nappy arse more than once!

 

[tatonka]

What a bunch of monkey's at the FCC .. you would think they know what they do .. well apparently not.

 

[Ljohnson72]

Whoever made this PDF is gonna see some heat...

 

[ravenvii]

Whoever made this PDF is gonna see some heat...

Eh, it's coming out tomorrow and everyone will have an opportunity to crack one open and photograph and analyze every inch of it. This just allows everyone to see a day earlier.

 

[Ljohnson72]

Eh, it's coming out tomorrow and everyone will have an opportunity to crack one open and photograph and analyze every inch of it. This just allows everyone to see a day earlier.

True, but this we're talking about Apple here.

 

[Friscohoya]

This is apple pornography...

 

[Neotyguy40]

Toshiba NAND memory?

What a coincidence! Look what I just read:

http://dvice.com/archives/2010/04/toshibas-ultra-.php

256GB iPad by 2012? Seems likely!

 

[andiwm2003]

Whoever made this PDF is gonna see some heat...

Eh, it's coming out tomorrow and everyone will have an opportunity to crack one open and photograph and analyze every inch of it. This just allows everyone to see a day earlier.

doesn't matter if the ipad comes out tomorrow. whoever screwed up should be fired because they breached confidentiality. either because they are reckless or stupid. maybe this time it doesn't matter but there will be other times where it damages somebodies business.

 

[Nuvi]

I really wonder if its really worth it for Apple to develop their own chip. I mean its not like the wow factor is within the chip.

 

[Peace]

I really wonder if its really worth it for Apple to develop their own chip. I mean its not like the wow factor is within the chip.

It is if you plan on using the chips in future iPhones and iPod Touchs.
And maybe even other types on tablets.

 

[Vmaatta]

Have we learned nothing about using layers to "black out" things in PDFs?

http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/06/22/138210.shtml ... and I know there's been a ton of others.

What a bunch of monkey's at the FCC .. you would think they know what they do .. well apparently not.

Whoever made this PDF is gonna see some heat...

Some heads are gonna roll…

This is apple pornography...

Geeky **** .

 

[chrisandersen]

The speakers look bigger than I thought they would be.

 

[cmaier]

Broadcom chip is the same chip used in the iPhone for the i/o controller for the touch screen.

 

[Nuvi]

It is if you plan on using the chips in future iPhones and iPod Touchs.
And maybe even other types on tablets.

Sure but can Apple keep it cost efficient and competitive speed wise. I don't like to see another PowerPC era of lagging behind the rest.

 

[millertime021]

FCC Fail.

 

[topmounter]

Somehow or another Apple will figure out how to make removing a layer from a PDF a violation of the DMCA

 

[enberg]

Somehow or another Apple will figure out how to make removing a layer from a PDF a violation of the DMCA

What would be the point? The interweb will be rife with disassembly videos and images on saturday anyway.

 

[cvaldes]

It is if you plan on using the chips in future iPhones and iPod Touchs.
And maybe even other types on tablets.

Other potential products that could benefit from the homegrown silicon could be AirPorts, Time Capsules, maybe even AppleTV.

 

[Rot'nApple]

Apple is using Toshiba Flash memory

Isn't Flash on an iPad sacrilegious?!

 

[CJS7070]

I'm wondering who it was that was taking the time to go through and find this fail in the PDF to begin with

 

[cvaldes]

Sure but can Apple keep it cost efficient and competitive speed wise. I don't like to see another PowerPC era of lagging behind the rest.

This is a bit different since there are multiple vendors of ARM chips. Apple was using them until the iPad.

If for whatever reason, Apple decided to abandon in-house ARM design, they would simply return to off-the-shelf components or have someone else design custom silicon for them. It's not like this a life-or-death gamble.

Clearly, Apple thinks that they can gain some sort of competitive advantage by designing their own silicon.

It will be interesting to see if they use the A4 (or A4 variant) in the next-generation iPhone and how that affects power consumption. Apart from AT&T's network performance, battery life is the biggest complaint amongst iPhone users.

 

[jclardy]

I really wonder if its really worth it for Apple to develop their own chip. I mean its not like the wow factor is within the chip.

I kind of doubt that Apple could have squeezed 10 hours of battery from a stock chip at the same performance level. Developing their own chip lets them create specific cycle saving instructions.