Apple’s A6 Processor Reportedly Enters Trial Production; No September 7 iPhone Announcement; Samsung Galaxy S II U.S. Debut Coming Aug. 29
Posted by CharlesMoore on Sunday Aug 14, 2011 Under iPhone 5 News, iPhone 5 RumorApple’s next-generation ARM A6 processor chip, believed to be a quad-core unit destined to power future iPad and iPhone models, has reached production trials at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC), according to a China Economic News Service report by Steve Chuang.
TSMC, reportedly the world’s largest semiconductor foundry by market share, is projected to have the production design finalized sometime in the first quarter of 2012, with public unveiling by Apple in Q2 2011 ” at the earliest,” according to industry sources cited in by Chuang, who goes on to say that TSMC is applying its latest 28-nanometer process and 3D stacking technologies to produce the A6, which will also benefit from TSMC’s cutting-edge silicon interposer and bump on trace (BOT) methodologies.
Needless to say, the A6 chip will not be found in the next iPhone, which is expected to finally get Apple’s dual-core A5 CPU that has been powering the iPad 2 since last March. It is widely anticipated that the A6 chip will make its public debut in an iPad, although it won’t necessarily be the iPad 3, which is expected to roll out in February or March of next year. However, if rumors that an upgraded iPad 2 with a Retina Display will be released before the iPad 3 — possibly before the end of this year — bear out, that could provide Apple with some breathing space to delay release of the iPad 3 until the A6 is ready toward mid-year.
And if that timeline plays out, it will probably push any A6-powered iPhone (iPhone 6?) release forward to fall 2012 at the earliest, or even into 2013. After all, there’s still no A5-powered iPhone going on six months after its iPad 2 debut.
Speaking of that, on Friday Loop Insight’s well-connected Jim Dalrymple poured cold water on the rumor that a new iPhone is coming at an Apple Event alleged to be scheduled for September 7. Dalrymple says he has it on good authority from his sources that there will be no new iPhone launch on Sept. 7, but that if and when a September special event takes place, opinion is still split among his sources on whether the device announced will be a relatively modest Phone 4 upgrade or a major redesign with many new features (that presumably would be called iPhone 5).
Meanwhile, it’s looking like Samsung will almost certainly beat the next iPhone to market with its Galaxy S II handset, which a report by PCWorld’s Daniel Ionescu says is ready for its U.S. unveiling at a Samsung press event scheduled to be held on August 29.
Ionescu reports that the Galaxy S II has already sold a record 3 million units in just 55 days in other markets, and lists its feature set as including a 4.3-inch display, a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 8-megapixel camera packed into its superthin form factor. He also says that significantly different variants will be offered by different carriers respectively, with the AT&T Galaxy S II “Attain”rumored be getting a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, while Sprint’s version to be called “Within “expected to have 4G WiMAX connectivity, and the Galaxy S II for Verizon (“Celox?”) may support 4G LTE connectivity, a larger 4.5-inch display, and a dual-core 1.5Ghz CPU, although these relatively radical deviations in the Verizon model are highly speculative at this point, and could indicate that Verizon will get a handset based on a different Samsung model than the Galaxy S II.
And finally, adding a bit more intrigue to the mix, The Economic Times reports that Orange, the France Telecom subsidiary that is Apple’s official partner in France, is advertising a job opening for an engineer who will be expected to work with Apple’s fifth-generation handset, and tasked to define “as precisely as possible, of what impact a handset like the iPhone 5 will have on clients’ Internet use, as well as a vague reference to a modification of the handset’s use by “iPhone 5″ users.” Make of that what you will, friends.
[Updated for more clarity on rumored Samsung Galaxy S II carrier spec. variants.]
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August 14th, 2011 at 1:11 am
Apple is all over the place they need to focus on getting there next product out.
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August 14th, 2011 at 4:29 am
Meh. Everyone is talking, talking, and talking some more about the iphone 5, but at the end of the day, nobody really knows anything. Too much contradictory information is out there. I think I need to just unplug myself from these rumors, take a step back, and wait on apple to say something.
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August 14th, 2011 at 6:51 am
How could the samsung g s II rumours be so speculative? Surely it will be the same as the rest of the world? It been out in aus for ages, and if you look past the android os, it’s really good! I am going to get one if apple only gives the iPhone a minor upgrade…
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August 14th, 2011 at 9:50 am
Maybe the first time in 10 years my wife and I get different phones. She is getting an iPhone, no matter what it is. I really really want a larger screen.
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August 14th, 2011 at 10:15 am
Hi Cbm;
My “speculative” reference was intended to apply to the more radical spec. deviations rumored for the Verizon model of the Galaxy S II, I’ve updated the article to clarify that more effectively.
Charles
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August 14th, 2011 at 10:45 am
I am getting so frustrated, too, with Apple. I am sure that if I broke down and bought the 4 @ full price, they will come up with an announcement stating that the iP5 is going to come out. I am just going to wait and see what if anything they are going to do. If my phone dies in the meantime, c’est la vie. I will hopefully have my ipad @ that point anyway. That will at least keep me distracted for a while! GGGRRRRRR!
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August 14th, 2011 at 10:55 am
4.3-inch display
1.2 GHz dual core processor
1GB of RAM
8-megapixel
I would take these specs less 10-20% running iOS5 on Apple hardware.
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August 14th, 2011 at 11:07 am
As you all know, I’m a big believer in Mr. Dalrymple’s sources. But even he still doesn’t have a fix on the nature of the next iPhone — refresh or revamp. It’s interesting that he has no positive evidence of a September announcement, just negative evidence that it will not be on September 7th. Can you imagine the prospect of September going by without any new iPhone announcement? Wow. That would be incredible.
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August 14th, 2011 at 11:11 am
You are right, Michael. That would be incredible. And incredibly sucky. I would never buy a phone around the holiday season. I have others to buy for at that time. Like my son. I would have to wait for spring if it got that far. *sigh*
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August 14th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Apple may loose some sales if no Phone announced in September, and the monster phones Galaxy & Bionic make it to the stores….
That’s customers lost for 2 years on another phone…..
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August 14th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
I’m wondering if apple is trying to release their phones closer to a year+ so people who have their current versions might be able to switch because it’s closer to their upgrade? Maybe to upgrade everyone at the same time?
I dunno it made sense last night when I was thinking about it.
Apple please give us something to go on PLEASE!
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August 14th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
GS2 is being announced for the US market on 8/29, with a release date either immediately or shortly afterwards. I’m willing to wait around for another week for the Iphone5 release. It’s my first choice as long as it is competitive with the GS2. I can’t believe that Apple would not deliver a highly upgraded Iphone5 in September to compete with the new high end phones, primarily from Samsung but also Mot. Apple’s marketing is world class, not incompetent. It would be a major blunder to not release a strong competitor in September. If it’s not released on Sept 7th, guess I’ll go with the GS2, i’m not going to be willing to wait longer. It’s already well documented as to what a great phone it is, since it’s been out for months elsewhere…
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August 14th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Check out The Latest and Greatest Info on the Iphone5 Launch! Checkout
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August 14th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
I’m sorry to say this but I know I’m not the only one. If the iPhone 5 is not a major upgrade or it doesn’t at least have a bigger screen and better camera, I am going to buy a Galaxy S2. Or better yet, I’ll get the just announced Galaxy R, which is everything the iPhone 5 should be.
I love apple and I hate android, but I refuse to pay $200 or more for an iPhone 4 with an A5 chip. Apple needs the iPhone 5 to be revolutionary.
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August 14th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
i live in the sf bay area and it blows my mind how many “ipad 2″ billboards i see all over 101 now instead of iphone billboards haha wow.. anyways, back to the article, it would be pretty bad if Apple doesn’t announce iPhone 5 in september. but, another thing i noticed is every sunday i look in the Target, Best Buy, etc. ads, and i’ve noticed the past 2-3 sundays, the iPhone has not been in it at all. they still show smartphones, but iPhone is just, not there. plus with iOS 5 beta in it’s 5th-6th form, I truly believe Apple has something very big for us in september, either announcement and release, or just announcement. imagine if that iphone 4 never got lost in that bar, it woulda been HUGE at wwdc. but, if they don’t announce anything in september then i agree with a lot of you, they’d lose alot of trusty fans/buyers. i’m no Apple employee or “trusty source” but, from all the hype/rumors/apple’s release history, i just have a gut feeling september is gonna be the huge relief for everybody. especially since galaxy s 2 is finally coming, which will probably be iphone 5′s biggest rival. and as i’ve previously commented in other posts, if it’s a refresh 4, Apple just shot itself in the foot. in my opinion. great write up Charles! =]
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August 14th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
I’m glad Apple seems to be getting off the Samsung bus and is starting to get other companies to build its microchips and stuff. I’d rather it were an American company, of course, but anything is better than Samsung, as far as I’m concerned.
On a different note, why does it have to be either a really minor refresh or a huge revamp? Odds are, it will be something in between.
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August 14th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
Well I didnt think I would say it but this last bit of let down; that is NO Sept 7 iphone 5 may just be the last straw. Seems ever since Junes NO iPhone 5 then a never ending string of NO NO NO NO NOs I may just go ahead and get another Android. At least the latest models are some pretty decent products well above what was first put out on the market. I think we may even be seeing some “quality” and not just quantity being produced in the Android market. I wanted an iPhone 5 REAL BAD but it has been one let down after another while I wait and wait.. I am out of contract – have been for a while… so I am getting pretty impatient. No I think I have been VERY patient, extremely so; without so much as one word from Apple. I mean who do they think they are? they know that there are millions of potential buyers out here just waiting to hear a little encouragement; but NO they don’t have to say a word. I get the feeling they have their peg in a lot higher hole than mine so I may have to just grab my hat off my little low peg and go get one of the new Mega-Droids that will blow their phone away anyway and has had all the features and more for a long time that Apple is boasting of as something new… Yeah for the iPhone – not android, it’s had those features a long time now.
Fed up with all the secrecy and silence…
Peace,
Dennis
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August 15th, 2011 at 12:36 am
TOTALLY AGREE with Dennis!!!! i’m with you bro!!
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August 15th, 2011 at 1:20 am
I TOTALLY AGREE!!!
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August 15th, 2011 at 2:04 am
Michael are you getting the iPhone5(or whatever it will be called) when it comes out?
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August 15th, 2011 at 7:27 am
It’s funny how we build ourselves up. (1) Apple have never said they are even going to build an iPhone 5 (or 4S, 4GS or any other type of iPhone); (2) They didn’t announce one several months back; (3) They haven’t announced whether they will announce a phone they haven’t announced they are even contemplating in September; and (4) We get angry at Apple like they have promised us something and not delivered.
Is somebody out there still waiting for an update on their Newton?
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August 15th, 2011 at 9:24 am
No, Richard. I am still waiting on an update to my bag phone. Sorry. A little bit of sarcasm there. Since there has been no announcement, I am just afraid that I will buy the 4 and then there will be an announcement for a new phone. I don’t want to be out that extra $100.00 because there was a new phone the next month. That would stink.
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August 15th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Richard-couldn’t agree more, apple hasn’t said anything in that regard.
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August 15th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Okay, I’m officially getting tired of waiting for the new iPhone. The ONLY thing that has ever held me back from buying something else is my lack of knowledge really. I have a Mac and an ipad2 and wanted seamless connectivity. Can I get that on an android?
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August 15th, 2011 at 11:09 am
I would wait until September before jumping ship. It’s nice to buy apps that work on both iPad and the iPhone for the same cost.
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August 15th, 2011 at 11:48 am
I am going to wait till Sept. before making a decision. but regarding the prior comments. Actions speak louder than words and Apple has had a new iPhone every year since its production; so it can and should be “expected” with much veracity. I will not go out and by an out dated iPhone 4 under any circumstances… I would keep the Droid2 I have now for another year before I would do that. but with all the awesome new androids coming out I most likely will get one of those. I am not saying that Apple could not build a higher quality and maybe better iPhone than the new androids – But they havent and as you say havent even given a hint that they are or will this year…. THAT, in a nutshell is what I am frustrated with…
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August 15th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
That is what I am frustrated with, too, Dennis. It is a cell phone for crying out loud, not a matter of national security. All of this secrecy is getting a little bit ridiculous as far as I am concerned.
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August 15th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Hi Laura;
“I have a Mac and an ipad2 and wanted seamless connectivity. Can I get that on an android?”
Short answer: Nope!
Charles
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November 10th, 2011 at 4:01 am
[...] was to take over production of Apple’s future A6 chip, which we originally reported back on August 14th. But on October 17th, an update to this story suggested that Samsung was back on the job for the A6 [...]
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