I saw the Apple TV specs and sure enough it had an Intel CPU. I was trying to see if there was any Intel silicon inside the iPhone but couldn't confirm that till now:
Apple says Intel to supply iPhone CPU
I had expected there to be Intel flash in the iPhone. But gosh - a CPU. Just when Intel got out of the smart phone business. I'm betting this is another customized product built off an extremely low voltage Intel CPU. There's more here than we know.
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UPDATE
It appears this story has now been re-called. Intel was first to say their silicon is not inside the iPhone and Apple now agrees. I'd expect it the other way around but whatever...
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11 comments:
Wouldn't they have a non-compete clause with Marvel when they sold their mobile phone chip business to them ? I would expect iPhone to be using Intel Flash alright. But CPU ? Will this not be hitting Marvel below the belt ?
I kinda wonder if Intel's uniform pricing scheme doesn't apply to apple because they're the last only Intel computer company left. This probably also explains their use of Intel processors where there are obviously better, more established solutions (such as the iPhone, and iTV).
I don't think this cell phone chip could come from Intel. They sold off Xscale phone business to Marvell and I can't imagine that would be a UMPC chip.
S - if my suspicion that this is a UMPC chip is correct then they may not be in competition. Also, Intel did not sell their Xscale brand or rights to sell/market. I guess it would be hard to define also whether this is a phone or a mobile PC...where is the line?
Greg - the uniform pricing is only on desktop parts at this time. Apple has been mostly using mobile parts so they could be getting preferential pricing. Also, uniform pricing doesn't remove volume discounts.
cheers...
Guess you have a update to do, Intel has officially replied that there's not Intel inside the iPhone (Not NVIDIA either)... Yikes!
***In case of any references you needed, please search the f**king google!!***
BTW, the UMPC chip is gradually changed from Core Duo ULV to VIA C7 chip.
That is however, the Apple TV thing is still "Intel Inside"... *LMAO*
ck
If it's an X-scale chip, it should be a Marvel CPU by now. But I'm sure Apple made that decision a while back with Intel.
Oddly enough, Xscale is a viable business to be in for just about any ordinary company. Margins just aren't high enough for Intel to maintain it due to several competitors - T.I., Motorola, etc.
Nope, the iPhone contains intel's flash but not the CPU. I guess it contain former Intel part which is now belong to Marvell
pointer
Yes the Flash does come from intel but the processor comes from PORTALPLAYER which used to supply its chips for the well famed IPODS until a while back.
People assumed that it would be an Intel cpu but all that was announced was that there would be Intel silicon inside the iPhone (which will now no longer be known as the iPhone since that is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems). Seriously folks... did you all really think that Apple pre-paid $1.25 billion to secure a steady flow of NAND memory for iPods? Link
Also... I would bed that the reason there is not a conflict of interest with Marvell is probably based on the fact that the contract to produce NAND for Apple was inked in November of 2005 and $500 million of the total Apple prepaid was ear-marked to Intel and Mircon to keep Apple in NAND through 2010. This would obviously pre-date the sell-off to Marvell and I believe the capacity for this will come from IM Flash Technology, LLC which as all good students of the game should know is a joint venture between Intel and Mircon.
One other tidbit of trivial information regarding the iPhone. As I mentioned above, the name is trademarked by Cisco Systems and will present a little bit of an issue for Apple but could possibly be worked out. The ironic part is that Intel in the early to mid-90's had an opportunity to buy Cisco but didn't feel that it would have be as profitable as it became. Oh if only fore-sight was a clear as hind-sight.
Samsung is the brains of the iPhone.
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