rd4sndk

Is Apple Set to Make Its Own ARM Chips for the iPhone?

Tom... You are absolutely right that Apple is merely taking advantage of the large number of processors used in its portable platforms (ipods and iphones). Integration of all peripheral subsystems (sRam, touch screen interface, multiple discretes passive and active, accellorotemeter interface etc) could cut cost significantly. A 20% reduction in cost on 200 million portable devices on a $40 cost basis could save $1.6 billion annually and move its iphone price point below $100 subsidized. I also believe they'll target power consumption as a major design goal besting the competition. Lower power processor design was PA semi speicialty. By summer next year we should see a new platform based on the new processor design. Papermaster is only needed for management of a processor road map that will compete against the competition no doubt will do catch up within a year. Apples competition will be TI, Samsung and other mobile processor OEMs. If TI and Samsung were smart they would start now leveraging their expertise on providing a low cost low power consumption pocket computer for other mobile OEMs. To wait until Apple debuts will be in my opinion disasterous of them and mobile OEMs.

On Nov 05 05:36 AM Tommo_UK wrote:

> Right but wrong. Apple isn't creating a closed ecosystem at all.
> Its intending on using a variant of an OS (OS X) which is widely
> available on iPhones and iPods, and Macs (don't forget about those,
> will you) on portable devices running on ARM-based chips - an architecture
> actually helped launched and nurtured by Apple before it sold its
> stake in the company some years back.
>
> Its launched an SDK for the platform, so the only proprietary aspect
> is the chipset itself - in other words the manner of the integration
> between the components and the minaturisation which can be achieved
> by custom design in-house rather than having to rely on off-the-shelf
> parts.
>
> The key is, its the same architecture, just adapted and developed
> in-house, as every other device out there, so its nothing like the
> original Macintosh paradigm where everything from the OS to the IO
> ports were propritatary.
>
> I wish writers would stop making this simple error. Vast swathes
> of OS X are open source. The development platform - XCode - allows
> tou to code for Macs, iPods and iPhones, and the chips Apple uses
> - whether designed in-house or not, are based on a widely used and
> non-proprietary architectiure. Jobs isn't swimming against the tide
> at all. What he's done is found the ripd tide to drag him and Apple
> as far away from its competitors as possible, as quickly as possible,
> leaving them all beached with no hope of catching up.