iPhone 5 should use Qualcomm chipsets, new 'A8' processor
updated 08:00 am EST, Fri January 14, 2011
Kinsus leak gives iPhone 5 chipset, timing details
Some of the first iPhone 5 part details have emerged on Friday with insight into its launch timing. Taiwan's Kinsus is reportedly supplying 30 to 40 percent of the substrates for the Qualcomm chipsets that will provide cellular access. The Apple Daily sources had the iPhone 5 launching in spring and that Kinsus could by necessity ship its own parts as soon as this quarter, before the end of March.
Qualcomm's presence supported by extension the likelihood of there being a Verizon edition of the new phone. The semiconductor firm is the dominant choice for CDMA chipsets, although it does produce HSPA chipsets as well.
The same tip also pointed to a potentially large processor upgrade. Along with supplying Qualcomm, Kinsus was said to be providing parts for a "new A8 application processor." What this would be wasn't made clear. While it could represent just an upgrade to the ARM Cortex-A8 chip, it could also represent Apple's own name for a successor to the A4. The latter could imply a dual-core design, two times A4, and could imply a switch to the more advanced ARM Cortex-A9 needed for multi-core.
Some high-end phones shipping in 2011 are already known to be shipping with dual-core processors based on the new ARM architecture, including the Motorola Atrix 4G and LG's Optimus Black and 2X.
With the exception of the iPhone 3G launch, all iPhones have usually shipped to the US at the end of June and would be consistent with talk of shipping in the spring.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2010
Confusing
A8 would be a very confusing name, especially if it's actually an A9 ARM design. You'd misunderstand it for being less powerful than it probably is.
It's confusing enough with the A4, which is a paper size standard, and sounds like it's less powerful than current generation A8 ARMs.