Apple Iphone 6s A1688 Smartphone Chipworks Teardown Report BPT-1509-801 With Commentary
Apple Iphone 6s A1688 Smartphone Chipworks Teardown Report BPT-1509-801 With Commentary
Apple Iphone 6s A1688 Smartphone Chipworks Teardown Report BPT-1509-801 With Commentary
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BPT-1509-801
28401JMDY
Specifications
Specifications
BASIC Product Name iPhone 6s, A1688
Manufacturer Apple Inc.
Minimum Size (mm) 67.1 x 138.3 x 7.1
Weight (g) 143
BATTERY TIME Standby (hours) 3.9G: FDD-LTE: 3.9G: TD-LTE: 3G: WCDMA: 240 3G: CDMA: 3G: TD-SCDMA: 2G: GSM:
Voice Call (minutes) 3.9G: FDD-LTE: 3.9G: TD-LTE: 3G: WCDMA: 840 3G: CDMA: 3G: TD-SCDMA: 2G: GSM:
Video Call (minutes) n/a
Digital TV (minutes) n/a
Other n/a
Battery (size in mm) Li-ion polymer, 3.82 V, 1,715 mAh (38.17 x 95.03 x 2.87)
SYSTEM OS iOS 9
CPU / ROM / RAM CPU: Apple A9, dual-core, 1.8 GHz, embedded M9 motion co-processor
ROM: 16 GByte
RAM: 2 GByte
DISPLAY Main Display 4.7-inch, 16,777,216 colors, 750 x 1334 dot, Retina HD, IPS LCD
Sub Display n/a
COMMUNICATION Protocol (MHz) 3.9G: FDD-LTE: 700, 800, 850, 900, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100. 2100, 2600
3.9G: TD-LTE: n/a
3G: WCDMA: 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100
3G: CDMA: 800, 1700, 1900, 2100
3G: TD-SCDMA: n/a
2G: GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
HSDPA/HSUPA (Mbps) 3G: 42.2/5.76 LTE: 300/50
Wireless LAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2
GPS Yes
Infrared n/a
RFID/NFC NFC
CAMERA Main Camera 12.0 MP CMOS with auto-focus, LED flash
Sub Camera 5.0 MP CMOS
SENSOR Motion Accelerometer: Yes Digital Compass: Yes Gyroscope: Yes Barometer: Yes
Gesture Recognition: n/a - - -
Ambient Light Sensor: Yes Proximity Sensor: Yes Temperature Sensor: n/a Humidity Sensor: n/a
Security Fingerprint Sensor: Yes - - -
Healthcare Heart Rate Monitor: n/a
Touch Panel Capacitive, multi touch, 3D
OTHER HDMI n/a
MicroSD (max. capacity) n/a
Waterproof/Anti-shock n/a
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone
Related Reports
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Samsung 14 nm FinFET suite of reports
Intel 14 nm FinFET Cherry Trail suite of reports
Intel 14 nm FinFET Broadwell suite of reports
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 9
A4 A5 A6 A7 A8
Chipworks tracks the key metrics that allow your marketing team to know their
market position:
Package photos/X-rays
Metal 1 or polysilicon die photo
Die size measurements
Digital, analog, and memory annotated
Node assessment
IC cost estimate
This is the first time we have ever found a dual-sourced application processor.
It will be a unique opportunity for us to compare the implementation of the
same chip from the two heavyweights in foundry services.
A9 A9 Not only will we be doing a functional block level comparison, but we will also
dive down and look at the implementation of the standard cell libraries,
showing the cell layout and comparing routing efficiencies.
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 10
Note: False color and image sharpening has been applied to the photos for the purposes of this article.
High resolution images in Chipworks reports are not retouched.
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 11
Measurements include:
AFP Image of the Measurement Area for NMOS Transistor 1
Transfer Characteristics (VDS = 0.7 V)
Extrapolated Linear VT (VDS = 0.05 V)
Transconductance (gm) (VDS = 0.7 V)
Subthreshold Swing (S) (VDS = 0.7 V)
Transfer Characteristics Versus VDS
DIBL (VGS/VDS)
Based on phone-level benchmarks, the otherwise identical iPhone 6s are not the same:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/10/08/apple-says-battery-performance-of-new-iphones-a9-chips-vary-only-2-3/
Apples dual-sourcing of the A9 application processor allows Chipworks a unique opportunity to directly
benchmark two technologies in the exact same design
Process analysis and costing
Standard cell implementation and routing efficiency
Transistor characterization and capacitance modeling
Block-level power measurements
The performance/power/area metric would indicate Samsung should have the lead in battery life based on
area. However, our measurement of the 14LPE process on Samsungs Exynos processor has shown a
weak NMOS could this be the cause of the power difference between the TSMC and Samsung A9s?
Area Performance/Power
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 13
Product Information
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 14
Teardown
FPC #1
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 15
Synaptics Q3 2014 acquisition of Renesas let them According to Synaptics, there are a number of key benefits to TDDI:
reap the rewards of the Renesas design win in the Best-in-Class Performance synchronizes touch sensing and
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and Synaptics repeats this year display driving to virtually eliminate display noise and offer
with the design win for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus best-in-class capacitive touch performance.
display driver IC (DDI). Thinner Form Factors Integration of the touch sensor into the
Looking forward, Synaptics may be able to leverage this display results in thinner form factors.
design win to move Apple towards a touch screen Brighter Displays Fewer layers in the touchscreen results in a
controller and display driver integrated (TTDI) solution. brighter display, or longer battery life for the same brightness.
Chipworks first catalogued this disruptive design in the Lower System Cost Reducing the number of components,
ZTE Q7 S6 Lux. eliminating lamination steps and increasing manufacturing yield
lowers overall system cost for OEMs.
Synaptics first generation TDDI in the ZTE Q7 S6 Lux currently sampling the second generation
The previous three generations of the iPhone (5, 5s, Related Fingerprint Sensor Reports Report Code
and 6) have contained the same fingerprint sensor.
Apple is now releasing their second generation Apple iPhone 6s Fingerprint Sensor FAR-1510-802
fingerprint sensor. We were excited to find contacts Basic Functional Analysis Report Analysis underway
going from the front to the back of the die. Could this Apple iPhone 6s Fingerprint Sensor PKG-1510-801
be TSMCs first demonstration of TSVs? Package Report Analysis underway
Apple iPhone 6s Fingerprint Sensor Under consideration
We have already launched two reports on this new
Circuit Analysis Report Please contact us
fingerprint sensor and are considering deep circuit
analysis.
TSVs?
Front Back
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 17
3D Touch
0.9 mm
Chipworks recently completed systems analysis of the
right side
left side
34 mm
Apple Watch Force Touch sensor. This report
examines market adoption and penetration for
force-based touch, the intellectual property landscape,
and the technology behind the Apple Watch Force 6-pin
connector
Touch. It includes findings about the construction,
connectivity, and operation.
bottom side
3D Touch Apples Adoption and What it May Mean to the OEM World
An Intellectual Property Perspective
On September 2, just a couple of days before Apples iPhone 6s announcement, Huawei announced its own Android-based
smartphone, the Mate S, with a Force Touch-inspired pressure sensitive screen.
It seems Force Touch technology applications are going to get crowded rather quickly. We decided to investigate who is patenting
in the area. In other words, who would be interested in and prepared for potential licensing and litigation? We also wanted to find
patents possibly applicable to Apples existing and future Force Touch products.
3D Touch Apples Adoption and What it May Mean to the OEM World
An Intellectual Property Perspective
PCB #1
Manufacturer OPC
Dimension 57.25 mm x 96.54 mm x 0.84 mm
Layer 10
Connector (pin) 0
Connector (socket) 13
Connector (ACF) 0
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 22
Power Amplifier
Chipworks has extensive circuit analysis available on leading edge power amplifier manufacturers. The number of components in
these modules is astounding. For example, Chipworks has catalogued 23 die in the Avago ACPM-8010 (shown below).
This is a hotly contested space and it is not uncommon to find several manufacturers winning in the same phone.
accelerometer
(Bosch Sensortec)
likely BMA280
accelerometer
and gyroscope A9 APL0898 application
(InvenSense) processor antenna tuning
MPU-6700 (Samsung) and DRAM (Micron) (Qorvo)
D9SND (MT53B256M64D2NL) RF1347
2 WTRxxxx transceivers:
3 WTR3925
WTR1625L
WTR1605L
unknown
56ALHHI
6BB27
PCB #1 Connectors LED flash, volume, and power button (mnf. unknown)
pin pitch: 0.35
pin #12
L: 4.52 5 MP camera, light, and
FPC #1
W: 1.98 proximity sensor microphone
H: 0.49
H: 0.61 (mnf. unknown)
pin pitch: 0.35
pin #36
Li-ion polymer battery (mnf. unknown) L: 9.13
L: 7.11 W: 1.86
W: 3.86 H: 0.71
H: 0.79
FPC #1 (mnf. unknown) display (mnf. unknown)
pin pitch: 0.35 pin pitch: 0.35
pin #40 pin #44
L: 9.96 L: 10.04
W: 1.90 W: 1.67
H: 0.83 H: 0.62
13 MP CMOS camera
(mnf. unknown)
pin pitch: 0.35
pin #34
L: 8.10
W: 1.92
H: 0.68
PCB #1 - PCB #1
H: 0.48
microphone (Knowles)
5280 KSM2
FPC #1 Connectors
volume button
microphone (Knowles) power button
LED flash (mnf. unknown)
5280 KSM2 (mnf. unknown)
ring/silent switch
(mnf. unknown)
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 33
FPC #2 Connectors
PCB #1
(mnf. unknown)
pin pitch: 0.35
pin #12
L: 3.40
W: 1.24
H: 0.48
microphone (GoerTek)
529 GWM1
FPC #3 Connectors
Others
speaker
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 39
406 m
418 m
LCD
(rear side)
353 m 323 m
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 42
12 MP CMOS Camera
1 2 3
11. iSight die photograph,
color filters removed
Essentially a subscription to ChipSelect Image Sensor gives you the insight we get when we get it from monitoring
technology as it enters mass production in high volume imaging applications.
ASM
FLASH
WLAN
BT
Ambient Sensor
Antenna cellular
WLAN/BT/GPS
WLAN/Bluetooth/GPS
cellular
Antennas built-in, details unknown
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 50
Antenna
NFC
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 51
PCB EMI
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 52
Touch Panel
Surface glass, display, and touch panel thickness 2.04
Adhesion Air gap
PCB #1 Touch panel material Unknown
PCB #1 (mnf. unknown)
(mnf. unknown)
display pin pitch: 0.35
pin pitch: 0.35 3D touch
pin #22
pin # 44
L: 5.68
L: 9.50
W: 1.09
W: 1.28
H: 0.59
H: 0.43
Block Diagram
Antenna SW
G54/240/G98
(Murata)
Display Controller
GPS A9 APL0898 LCD/OLED
WTR3925 (Apple)
Sensors
(Qualcomm)
SIM
NFC Camera ISP
WLAN A9 APL0898 Camera
339S00043 NXP66V10
(NXP) (Apple)
(USI)
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 56
Technical Note
CIRCUIT ANALYSIS
Well Organized Schematics Delivered in a Cadence-Like Environment
Chipworks analyzes analog and digital designs including, but not limited to, memories, processors,
controllers, MEMS, wireless, microphones, and antennas. Advanced laboratory capabilities enable us
to reveal full details of circuit layouts at each lithographic layer and conduct full circuit extraction.
PROCESS ANALYSIS
Superior Quality Images, Analysis, and Comments
Chipworks has over 20 years of experience scrutinizing CMOS, BiCMOS, BCDMOS, and mixed signal
processes or technologies using the most sophisticated reverse engineering facilities, equipment, and
expertise in the industry.
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Covering a Wide Range of Electronic Systems in Various Industries, Products, and Devices
We are able to perform the most difficult and demanding types of analysis, including extracting key
information from the most complex and secure chips and embedded memories to support a broad
range of competitive intelligence.
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone
Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 64
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Apple iPhone 6s Smartphone 65
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