Knowles wins microphone slots in iPhone 6S

Business news | September 28, 2015

By eeNews Europe

Bosch Sensortec and InvenSense have retained the places they won for inertial MEMS sensors in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. In terms of microphones Goertek has retained its place while AAC has lost three slots to Knowles.

Chipworks has said it will do separate teardowns and analyses of the camera and the touch screen systems.

In several areas, most notably the application processor, Chipworks reckons Apple is dual sourcing. So, as expected both Samsung and TSMC are providing versions of the Apple A9. The APL0898 from Samsung with a die size of 96 square millimeters is slightly smaller than the APL1022 from TSMC, which has a die size of 104.5 square millimeters. Both are in the respective foundries FinFET process. In the case of Samsung this is nominally a 14nm FinFET and in the case of TSMC 16nm FinFET.

Apple A9 application processor as made by TSMC in the APL1022. Source; Chipworks.

Relative die sizes for Samsung- and TSMC-made Apple A9 processors. Source: Chipworks.

Also Chipworks found a 16Gbit SDRAM from Micron Technology in the phone while referencing another teardown specialist iFixit finding Samsung as the supplier for the same component. Similarly the 128Gbit flash memory is from SK Hynix in Chipwork’s teardown but was supplied by Toshiba for iFixit.

Next: Bill of materials from A to M

Also Chipworks found a 16Gbit SDRAM from Micron Technology in the phone while referencing another teardown specialist iFixit finding Samsung as the supplier for the same component. Similarly the 128Gbit flash memory is from SK Hynix in Chipwork’s teardown but was supplied by Toshiba for iFixit.

Chipworks’ partial bill of materials for iPhone 6S

• 3 x Knowles KSM2 microphones
• 2 x Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S1285 Audio IC (likely an iteration of the 338S1202 audio codec found in the iPhone 5s)
• Apple 343S00014 3D Touch Controller?
• Apple A9 APL0898 application processor
• Apple/Cirrus Logic 338S00105 Audio IC
• Apple/Dialog 338S00120 Power Management IC
• Avago ACPM 7714 Multimode Power Amplifier
• Avago AFEM-8030 Power Amplifier Module
• Bosch Sensortec 367 LA 3-axis Accelerometer (likely BMA280)
• Bosch Sensortec barometric pressure sensor BMP280 ?
• Goertek GWM1 microphone
• InvenSense MP67B 6-axis Gyroscope and Accelerometer Combo (also found in iPhone 6)
• Micron D9SND (MT53B256M64D2NL) 2 GB LPDDR4 SDRAM
• Murata 240 Front-End Module
• Murata(?) Ne G98 RF Front-End Module
• Murata(?) Yd G54 RF Front-End Module

Next: Bill of materials from N to Z

• NXP 1610A3 (likely an iteration of the 1610A1 found in the iPhone 5s and 5c)
• NXP 66V10 NFC Controller (vs. 65V10 found in iPhone 6)
• Qorvo/RFMD RF1347 Antenna Switch Module
• Qorvo/TriQuint TQF6405 Power Amplifier Module
• Qualcomm MDM9635M LTE Cat. 6 Modem (vs. the MDM9625M found in the iPhone 6)
• Qualcomm PMD9635 Power Management IC
• Qualcomm QFE1100 Envelope Tracking IC
• Qualcomm WTR3925 Radio Frequency Transceiver
• RF Micro Devices RF5150 Antenna Switch
• SK Hynix H230DG8UD1ACS 16 GB NAND Flash
• Skyworks SKY77357 Power Amplifier Module (likely an iteration of the SKY77354)
• Skyworks SKY77812 Power Amplifier Module
• Texas Instruments 3539 Retina display driver
• Texas Instruments 65730AOP Power Management IC
• Texas Instruments 6BB27
• Texas Instruments SN2400AB0 Charger IC retained from the iPhone 6
• Universal Scientific Industrial 339S00043 Wi-Fi Module