Arm

Apple A6 reportedly a custom ARM CPU, PowerVR SGX 543MP3, 1GB of RAM

By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Sep 15, 2012 a 11:49 pm

At the iPhone 5 event on September 12, Apple not only announced a new iPhone, but also a new system-on-a-chip (SoC) sequentially named the Apple A6. While we'd heard about this new chipset prior to the event, we hadn't heard anything specific. Rumors ranged from an updated, higher clocked version of last year's dual-core ARM Cortex A9-based Apple A5 with a PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU, to a bleeding edge ARM A15 and PowerVR 6 "Rogue". Turns out the Apple A6 is nothing as conservative or futuristic as either of those things -- it's something even more exciting. It's Apple's first custom-designed ARM chipset.

Secret Apple project worked to port Mac OS X to iPad-style ARM processors

By Jack Perry, Monday, Feb 6, 2012 a 10:52 pm

In 2010, Apple’s Platform Technologies Group (a subdivision of the CoreOS department) spent some working on a previously-embargoed project to port the Mac OS X Darwin kernel to the ARMv5 chipset architecture -- the same family of chipsets that currently powers iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Here's a snippet from the project Porting Darwin to the MV88F6281, subtitled ARMing the Snow Leopard:

ARM, Opera, former US Secretary of Labor weigh in on Apple, Adobe, and Flash

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, May 6, 2010 a 5:07 pm

Companies and individuals as diverse as mobile chip-licenser ARM, browser-maker Opera, and former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich are offering opinions on Adobe, Flash, Apple's restriction on cross-compilers, and rumors of an Adobe-prompted DOJ/FTC inquiry into Apple -- and they won't be making Adobe very happy.

ARM flat out says Adobe's Flash has held back the delivery of smartbooks (think netbooks running on smartphone-scale ARM-processors). Adobe and ARM signed a partnership in 2008 and ARM hoped Flash would be up and running by 2009, but say it's "slipped". They think we'll see it in late 2010 (though there was outcry the iPhone didn't have it in 2007, right?)

Apple buys chip designer Intrisity for $121 million

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 a 1:17 pm

Apple has bought chip designer Intrisity for $121 million. Given the rapidity and speed of the Apple A4 chipset debuted alongside the iPad, rumors have persisted that Intrisity was behind the new system-on-chip (SoC), but confirmation took a while to arrive.

Intrisity was able to take the standard ARM Cortex A8 found in 650MHz flavor in the iPhone 3GS and competing smartphones and speed it up to 1GHz.

That's an advantage Apple reportedly wants to keep to itself.

Apple in talks to buy ARM?

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 a 11:48 pm

ARM chips, including the current Cortex A8, power the iPhone 3GS, iPod touch G3, and form part of the A4 system-on-chip for the iPad -- add that to some whispers and we get the full on rumor that Apple is in talks to buy them out.

Here's where it gets really interesting -- ARM chips power a slew of other devices as well, including those running Android and Palm.

Regarding Apple A4 Using iPhone 3GS Cortex A8 Processor

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Mar 1, 2010 a 10:17 am

Apple A4 iPad Chipset = ARM Multicore Cortex A9 + Mali 50 GPU

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Jan 28, 2010 a 3:32 pm

According to Bright Side of the News, it turns out that newly spun Apple A4 system-on-a-chip that debuted alongside the iPad does indeed pack more punch than the Sammy in the iPhone 3GS:

iPad Also Debuts Apple A4 Custom-built System-on-a-Chip

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 a 5:55 pm

While Apple's current generation iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3 use ARM Cortex A8 CPUs and PowerVR SGX GPUs chips from Samsung, as part of their iPad announcement today, Apple also announced their own chip -- the Apple A4.

Potential iPhone Gen 4 ARM Cortex A9 Multicore Processor Demo

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Jan 5, 2010 a 7:20 pm

ARM is showing off their new Cortex A9 multi-core mobile processor, which will scale over 2Ghz at less than 0.25W of power per proc -- and since Apple is rumored to be a massive ARM licensee and Apple staff were hinting that developers should prepare themselves for multi-core, rumors once again resurface that this smoking hot chip might become part of the 4th generation iPhone and iPod touch. (As part of PA Semi system-on-a-chip, 'natch).

The current iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3, as well as a bunch of competing smartphones (and superphones, don't get us started!) use the ARM Cortex A8. MacRumors is guessing it might just make its way into the iTablet/iSlate as well.

CES is ramping up folks, and remember TiPb will be there, so we'll bring you back anything more we can find out.

Video highlights after the break...