This Technology Blog will be live updated to include some cross sectional and polysilicon shots of the Apple A5. If you are seeing this message then check back regularly or follow us on Twitter @chipworks to get up to the minute updates.
Apple TV is a curious beast. It is undeniably a good product, but one that is treated almost like an accessory, or even an appliance, by Apple. New iterations come out with no fanfare and software features are held consistent across older and newer variants. The people paying the closest attention are those who are interested in cracking the device (which has eluded the hacker market since the Apple TV 2 days)…and, of course, us.
Despite the lack of commercial attention, there has been much ballyhoo out there with the latest version to hit the store shelves with the part number MD199C/A. Again, mostly indistinguishable from the prior version, except this time with a brand new A5 processor with the part number APL7498. And again all the questions about who is the foundry, what are the differences, what is Apple up to this time around.
First up a look inside the “downstream part” because Apple has made a few notable changes in this ATV version we tore down.
What is unusual is that the device does not use the package-on-package configuration for the DRAM/App-Processor that we have come to expect for the A5 (and not the A5x). So does this mean it is some kind of A5X or a hotter running chip or is this just a lower cost way for them to manufacture the device?
The wireless module supplier for the ATV continues to be USI (versus Murata for the phones) with the part number 339S0203. The board shows a nice antenna path for those interested. Based on specifications, inside the core functionality is provided by the Broadcom BCM4334.
Notable by its absence is the lack of an Apple branded audio chip (by Cirrus Logic). Apple may be following a trend we have seen with other applications processors by including this functionality on the die. Once the polysilicon photo is available we’ll be able to look closer.
Correction – as has been pointed out by our readers, there was no discrete audio codec in earlier generations of the Apple TV, by Cirrus or anyone else – our bad for getting confused in all these Apple teardowns!
Other notable chips cataloged (so far):
- SMSC LAN8742 Ethernet Controller
- Hynix H2JTCG8T22MBR NAND Flash
- Elpida B4432BABH DRAM
- Apple 338S1127 Power Management Chip, likely another of the girls from Dialog Semi
- Texas Instruments 54218 PMIC
Let us now look closer at the Apple A5 itself
Is this new A5 a pipe-cleaner for TSMC in a lower volume (and risk) device? Is this new A5 a lower cost variant that we will see in new lower end phones from Apple? Is it a shrink from Samsung’s 32-nm process to their 28-nm? All were speculated upon, and this time around we can deny the first rumor by confirming that the chip has die markings consistent with the continued use of Samsung as the foundry partner. With respect to the second rumor, we can provide our $.02 that we do expect to see this chip in future Apple devices (such as a possible phone or iPod) because that behavior would be consistent with what they have done in the past. As for the die shrink, the math tells us that the size reduction is more than a simple shrink – some functionality has changed too. We’ll have to wait for the cross-section to see if it is fabbed on the smaller process. (Update – see below.)
The new device measures 6.1 x 6.2 mm when compared to the prior generation A5 measuring 37.8 mm2 down from the prior 32-nm variant at 69 mm2.
Die size comparison using the polysilicon from the prior gen A5 (left) with the top metal from the current gen A5
Now we have the cross-section, we can say from the transistor spacing that it is still Samsung’s 32-nm process – no shrink here, definitely a new design.
Cross-sectional image of transistors in the new Apple TV A5 chip
Update – here is our first guess at the functionality using our die photo of the new A5 chip de-layered to the transistor level.
Apple's new A5 (APL7498) chip de-layered to show block layout
If we compare this with the earlier 32-nm APL2498 part, it looks as though we now have a single-core ARM A9 CPU, together with a dual-core GPU as in the APL2498. The Apple TV has always been 1-core, but the APL2498 had one core disabled – maybe Apple now thinks that sales will be enough to justify a dedicated part, or maybe we are going to see another single-core device in a different product line.
To get the almost 50% die size reduction that we have, though, there has to be more than removal of one core – other changes have been made. As yet we haven’t quantified them.
We’ve also looked at more of our cross-sectional pictures, and we now think that this part uses a mixed-signal version of the 32-nm process that allows extra passive components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, that is much more suited to analog circuitry. So it is possible that the analog sections have been re-designed, always a work in progress when we get this small, since analog circuitry does not shrink anywhere near as predictably as digital.
We’ll keep you posted if and when we find out more!
If Apple want’s an iPad (5-th generation) launch in first half of this year why would samsung give 28 nm to Apple ? They want to flood market with tens of millions of SGS4′s that use 28 nm. So it’s kind of like Hey ! We got 28 nm we will get you a few for tests to show you how awesome it is, but because we are competition we will not get you mass production before the second half of a year.
If Apple switched to TSMC they could have tens of millions needed for iDevices by now.
So my thought was true !
No 28 nm, why would samsung get them even one 28 nm chip…
It’s still 32 ! But half the size and minimaly the same processing power, and less power compustion.
I don’t know if they change components but i think no- it’s still A5
One way or another some major work get to this.
How easilly can an ATV get from “Boring” to “Oh yeah 28 nm” to “OMG Apple is a chip wizzard”
There was no audio chip in 3rd generation AppleTv— see teardown info below
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+TV+3rd+Generation+Teardown/8293/1
Your comments are a misleading:
“”"Notable by its absence is the lack of an Apple branded audio chip (by Cirrus Logic). Apple may be following a trend we have seen with other applications processors by including this functionality on the die. Once the polysilicon photo is available we’ll be able to look closer”"”"
It is my understanding that CRUS was not in any of the previous versions of Apple TV. This report resulted in about a 3% drop in CRUS. Might want to post an addendum or corrected report.
they probably just got rid of the graphics cores
Previous versions of Apple TV did not have Cirrus logic codec; it was simply not needed. As other posters have mentioned, your misleading statement is hurting the stock price.
Please review & issue correction ASAP.
There was no audio chip in the previous generation of Apple TV – this is unwarented speculation by Chipworks:
Cirrus Logic: Regarading the ChipWorks report, integration fear is unwarranted in the scope of Apple (AAPL) TV – Needham (22.72 )
Needham notes, As if CRUS shares weren’t depressed enough already, Chipworks had to chime in yesterday and offer its view on the potential extinction of CRUS’ audio functionality via apps processor integration. At first blush the firm thought this report was a validation of the integration risk, but after reviewing their notes (and prior teardowns and specs) this integration fear is unwarranted in the scope of Apple (AAPL) TV, in the firm’s view. Obviously they cannot guarantee that integration won’t occur in the upcoming iPhone 5s (or other mobility products) to marginalize or eliminate CRUS’ supplier positioning, but they continue to believe it is unlikely
Chipsworks misleading statement — there was no audio chip in older generation of Apple Tv — therefore Cirrus logic not being in the current generation of Apple Tv is a meaningless statement.
Stifel Nicolaus–Cirrus Logic relationship with Apple, its largest customer, is intact and questions Chipworks’ conclusion that Cirrus Logic is excluded from the latest generation Apple TV. Apple TV does not have any audio processing capabilities, making the perceived exclusion of an audio codec and Cirrus Logic misleading. Stifel remains positive on Cirrus Logic shares with a Buy rating and $42 price target
It would be good for Chipworks to have a closer look at the Elpida device – I suspect that the memory is a single 32-bit die. Putting the device in a separate package and using a narrower bus very likely enables them to run the memory interface at a higher speed, that way they could save the cost for a second memory die. As far as I know, the POP version in the iPad and the phone uses two dies for a 64-bit memory interface
The package mark (see image in the blog) is B4432BABH which I think indicates a 4-Gb 32-bit part – we’d have to decapsulate it to confirm it’s a single die rather than 2 x 2 Gb 16-bit dies.
Just x-ray the package, quick and dirty
Looks like a single core GPU to me, you’ve only outlined a portion of the GPU. On the original A5 you can see 4+2 units around that portion of the GPU, on the new A5 there is only 2+1 of these units. I surmise that the portion you have outlined is shared functionality that you need regardless of the number of cores in your GPU.
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