When the iPhone X came out, phones were using 10 layers of copper on the PCB. Stacked SLP was using 20. The more components that can be stacked vertically, the less horizontal area it takes up. This wouldn’t be just taking the current MB and making it thinner, this is taking into account that the MB can have more components in a smaller horizontal footprint and being able to take up more space with “other stuff”.
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Kuo: iPhones Won't Adopt RCC for Thinner Circuit Boards Until 2025
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Those components still need to be there. They still take up volumetric space. Improved stacking efficiency might reduce PCB area which might make a more significant difference in space given over to PCB but again the savings are marginal. Incremental changes are important of course. It’s how progress often works. But I’m not seeing a significant change in available battery space. Not a change that would give rise to notable increases in battery endurance.
They want to keep the same price despite inflation and Apple isn’t absorbing the losses that’s for sure. They have to cut on something. Whether that’s using lower-grade parts in areas where user wouldn’t notice and generally having higher tolerances (nothing that’s manufactured is ‘perfect’ it’s just meant to stay within tolerances where it works) or they’re just letting loose of the QC a little. Still the vast majority of users will never have an issue which at the scale of Apple is the only thing that matters.
It isn't entirely clear if the benefit of this technology is worth the cost of its fragile and unproven use. I suspect that we'll see it in the iPad first, as iPads get thrown around much less than an iPhone.
It is exciting in the sense that much denser multi-layer circuit boards could be manufactured. They just have to work.
It is exciting in the sense that much denser multi-layer circuit boards could be manufactured. They just have to work.
„ … freeing up space inside of the iPhone that can be used for larger batteries or other technology.“ Hopefully, this would also mean „ … freeing up space inside of the iPhone that can be used for larger but *not heavier* batteries or other *lighter* technology.“
iPhones will not adopt resin coated copper (RCC) foil for their printed circuit boards until 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that Apple will not adopt this technology in 2024 because of its "fragile characteristics" and "inability to pass drop tests."
If Apple and its supplier Ajinomoto can improve the RCC material before the third quarter of 2024, the high-end iPhone 17 models could use it. Resin coated copper does not sound exciting, but it has the potential to slim down the size of circuit boards, freeing up space inside of the iPhone that can be used for larger batteries or other technology. Kuo says that it also makes the drilling process easier for iPhone manufacturing because RCC is fiberglass-free.
Late last month, a Weibo circuit expert claimed that Apple would adopt RCC for circuit boards starting in 2024, but it appears that we might not see the shift until 2025.
Article Link: Kuo: iPhones Won't Adopt RCC for Thinner Circuit Boards Until 2025
Yes. Ajinomoto was originally (and still partially is) a pharmaceutical company before it was a food company and it creates something called ABF that’s used for CPU insulation. It’s made using a byproduct of the MSG production process.
Until they can reduce the camera bump I do t really want the rest of the phone getting thinner. It’s like when someone loses a lot of weight and it takes a while to get rid of the gut, it looks worse than when they were just fat. I just upgraded to the new iPad Air, my first iPad with a camera bump, and it’s the worst part about the iPad, I don’t even use a camera, I’d love to get this iPad in a non rear camera option.
wasn't this a common problem with.. I forget which model but iPhone 7's maybe?
Not 'shattered' but certain impact easily screwed them up iirc. Didn't personally impact me but thought I read about it
And yes it’s that Ajinomoto that makes MSGs.
They have a subsidiary called Ajinomoto Fine Techno that does more of chemical stuff that’s mainly non-food related.
Well, the bag of Ajinomoto in my pantry just got a little more fancy.
The other day, I was holding my iPhone and was thinking... you know (you don't know), I really like the iPhone 15 Pro Max but what would get me to upgrade... a slightly thinner one.
They are definitely becoming the experimental line. Gruber made the good point that each Pro model is only made for exactly one year. The non-Pros are sold for years. Things come down to the non-Pro after being worked out on the Pro models.
Feel the same way about my 13 Pro. Gotten used to the weight, have Lightning cables, still a great phone.