iPhone 5s Includes New 'M7' Motion Coprocessor for Health and Fitness Tracking

[MacRumors]

Apple's iPhone 5s is equipped with both an A7 processor and a new "M7" chip that is otherwise known as a "motion coprocessor." It is designed to work alongside the A7 processor, capturing motion data from the phone's compass, accelerometer, and gyroscope to power a new generation of health and fitness apps.

Every iPhone 5s includes the new M7 motion coprocessor that gathers data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass to offload work from the A7 for improved power efficiency. Developers can also access new CoreMotion APIs that take advantage of M7, so they can create even better fitness and activity apps that go well beyond what other mobile devices offer. The M7 motion coprocessor continuously measures your motion data, even when the device is asleep, and saves battery life for pedometer or other fitness apps that use the accelerometer all day.

Alongside the M7 chip, Apple has also introduced new CoreMotion APIs that can take advantage of the M7 coprocessor to create improved fitness and activity apps that are unavailable on similar devices. The M7 coprocessor is able to measure and track all movement data, even when the phone is asleep, and because it's a secondary processor, it saves battery life while allowing pedometer-style apps to run in the background.

Nike has introduced the first new app that will take advantage of the technology. Nike+ Move is able to determine when a user is walking, driving, or stationary, and it works with the Nike Fuel movement ratings, integrating them into Game Center.

The iPhone 5s, which includes the M7 chip, will be available for purchase beginning on September 20. The phone will be priced at $199 for the 16GB version, with a 2-year contract.

Article Link: iPhone 5s Includes New 'M7' Motion Coprocessor for Health and Fitness Tracking

 

[Born Again]

So apple is now taking design cues from Samsung..

What the

 

[Lord Nerdos]

Excellent

This is very cool. Can't wait to see what the new Nike app is like. I wonder how it will compare with the Fuelband 2?

 

[Chemeddy]

That M7 Chip …

… is so going to be in the new so-called iWatch. Or iLifestyle, or iWhaeveritsgoingtobecalled.

 

[Eduardo1971]

Have a feeling we'll be hearing this again when the 'iWatch' is released.

 

[HiRez]

Sweet, so according to Motorola, I guess the iPhone is "triplecore" now.

 

[extricated]

iWatch! Yes!

 

[Battlefield Fan]

All signs point towards an iWatch. I bet it comes in October...

 

[3282868]

This over NFC? Seriously?

 

[dernhelm]

The Nike App must integrate with the FuelBand.

If Apple puts out a watch, it might also integrate with that.

 

[3282868]

So apple is now taking design cues from Samsung..

What the

No, they "improve" upon them,

 

[chabig]

This over NFC? Seriously?

Huh?

 

[olowott]

definitely the iWatch in a making. nice to have all these on board

 

[rdlink]

So apple is now taking design cues from Samsung..

What the

Yeah, because Apple started developing this two weeks ago...

 

[Blorzoga]

As a longtime Apple fan, I'm sorry to say this was a very unimpressive keynote. At a minimum, I expected an affordable off-contract phone as anticipated but obviously the carriers have their claws deeply into Apple's hide and they weren't going to allow that to happen.

Fingerprint scanner...meh
Better camera...already good enough for a phone.
Faster processor...how fast foes it need to be, really?

I think Apple's jumped the prover ial shark with this one. They can't even control the leaks at all.

 

[scaredpoet]

...can tell if a user is walking, stationary or driving...

Oh boy! I can't wait for the nanny state legislators to make use of THIS one to track when people MIGHT be talking/texting while in a car.

Still, I'm probably gonna wake up really early on Friday to get my preorder in...

 

[spblat]

I like it. Next time I put my Fitbit through the wash I may not have to get it replaced.

 

[3282868]

Huh?

I was expressing my dismay that Apple decided on this tech instead of "NFC". Many use it a lot out of North America on other devices. FFS, they had iPhone 5 prototypes w/ it, but bailed when banks didn't acquiesce to Apple's % take on NFC purchases.

Accessories do this already although they fail to properly measure stat's as the "Nike Band" should be on the ankle not the wrist (unless you're waving while you run, or partake in a lot self pleasure). Sure, it's "neat", but as a body builder and former trainer, these bands and devices don't accurately measure health and fitness progress.

 

[Bearxor]

Sweet, so according to Motorola, I guess the iPhone is "triplecore" now.

No.

If we presume (for now) that the A7 has the same amount of CPU and GPU units as the A6, then it qualifies as a six-core CPU under motorola's logic.

2 CPU cores + 3 GPU cores + 1 Motion chip

 

[chainprayer]

I think Apple's jumped the prover ial shark with this one. They can't even control the leaks at all.

Your B key is broken, yo.

 

[Razeus]

My GS4 already has all of this.

 

[JoeyCloverfield]

Fingerprint scanner...meh
Better camera...already good enough for a phone.
Faster processor...how fast foes it need to be, really?

I think Apple's jumped the prover ial shark with this one. They can't even control the leaks at all.

You realize your complains aren't Apple specific right? The smartphone industry has matured. At this point, all updates/upgrades are incremental.

----------

My GS4 already has all of this.

The smartphone that came after the iPhone 5? Your point?

 

[mdelvecchio]

As a longtime Apple fan, I'm sorry to say this was a very unimpressive keynote. At a minimum, I expected an affordable off-contract phone as anticipated but obviously the carriers have their claws deeply into Apple's hide and they weren't going to allow that to happen.

Fingerprint scanner...meh
Better camera...already good enough for a phone.
Faster processor...how fast foes it need to be, really?

I think Apple's jumped the prover ial shark with this one. They can't even control the leaks at all.

1) touch ID will be awesome. ill use it 100 times a day.

2) camera can never been good enough. cell phones naturally trail behind dedicated point & shoots, but always room for improvement.

3) mobile computing will slowly replace things we think of as desktop. eventually they will sport external peripherals...so speed they can never been fast enough. think console games first

4) jumping the shark is doing something ridiculously stupid and tacky. that has not happened here.

 

[Blorzoga]

Your B key is broken, yo.

No, it's just too close to the space ar.

 

[jlblodgett]

… is so going to be in the new so-called iWatch. Or iLifestyle, or iWhaeveritsgoingtobecalled.

That was the first thing I thought of when I heard about the M7 chip. Sounds like a perfect thing to stick into the iWatch.