Before we begin, I write because I enjoy it. I also do it as a free service to humanity and my fellow Nigerians. You my fellow Nairanders encouraged me to start a blog, which I have and you guys have also been my highest number of visitors. I want to use this medium to thank you all very much. It means a lot to me.

Finally, I have been meeting my posts at random places in social media and often those who use them do so without giving credit. This is not fair. Countless hours go into making research for these posts as well as data. These posts are free to use but at least give credit for them either to NL or to my blog. If you are in the habit of doing such, please cease and desist.

Apple reinvented the mobile devices we now know today as smartphones in 2007 with the release of the original iPhone. The announcement of the iPhone by Steve Jobs caused all the smartphone companies to throw all their plans into the dustbin and start scrambling afresh to meet up with the then leader in the market, Apple. Apple only make premium phones to service the top end of the market. They are not bothered about the other tiers although some old iPhones could pass as Midrangers or Flagship killers these days and Apple still supports their 6 year old iPhone 6S which is the oldest apple device to receive iOS 13.


Apple Silicon is the collective name for all SoCs designed by Apple using ARM architecture. They outsource all manufacturing to either Samsung or TSMC. Their SoCs are mostly package on package (PoP) SoCs. Apple initially used Power VR GPUs but now they use an in-house designed Apple GPU.


The journey begins in 2007 with the APL0098, a 90nm single core chipset running at 412MHz. This chip powered the iPhone, iPhone 3G and the iPod. The next year (2008), an update to the APL0098 was released called the [b]APL0278, a 65nm single core chip running at 533MHz and was used in the iPod touch. In 2009, a new single core 65nm ARM cortex A8 chipset running at 600MHz called the APL0298 which was used in the iPhone 3GS.

In 2010, Apple decided to do a naming system change and the new chipset was called the A4. The A4 is a 45nm single core ARM cortex A8 running at 1GHz which was used in the iPhone 4, the iPad and the iPod touch. In 2011, Apple released the A5 which was to be used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. The A5 was a dual core 45nm single core ARM Cortex A9 running at 800MHz to 1GHz. In 2012, a revision to the A5 called the A5X was used in the iPad 3. The A5X was the first Quad core SoC designed by Apple. It is also the biggest ever SoC made by Apple, a huge 165nm quad core ARM Cortex A9 running at 1GHz.


In September 2012, the first Apple SoC running with Apple’s new Custom cores were released. This new chipset was called the A6 and it was used for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C. The name of the new custom cores were called Swift. The A6 was built on 32nm process, with a dual Swift cores running at 1.3GHz. Swift cores were built on ARM’s ARM v7-A architecture. Their performance is comparable to any ARM cortex cores between A9 to A12. The next month, an updated SoC called the A6X was released for the for the iPad 4. The A6X and the A6 were identical but the A6X has a faster clock speed of 1.4GHz.



In 2013, Apple announced a new 64-bit chipset called the A7. This was the first chipset on any smartphone to use a 64-bit architecture. Up until that point, all phones ran on 32-bit architecture. The A7 was built on 32nm process and used a dual core custom core called Cyclone running at 1.4GHz. The A7 was used for iPhone 5S, iPad Air and the iPad Mini 2 and 3. The Cyclone was built on ARM v8-A with instruction sets A64 and A32. Their performance is comparable to any chipset between A35 and A73. The A7 could perform as well as a modern Helio A22.


In September 2014, Apple released the A8, built on a 20mn process, with dual custom Typhoon cores clocked at 1.4GHz. The A8 was used in the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus and the iPad Mini 4. In the next month an upgraded A8X with tri cores and a faster clock speed of 1.5GHz was used in the iPad Air 2. The Typhoon was built on ARM v8-A with instruction sets A64 and A32. Their performance is comparable to any chipset between A57 and A73. The A8 can be compared to a modern Helio P22.

The next year (2015), a new chipset called the A9 was released for the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE and the iPad (2015). It was a 16nm SoC with dual core custom Twister cores running at 1.8GHz. It was released alongside its updated version called the A9X which was identical to the A9 but ran at a much faster speed of 2.26GHz. the A9X can be found in the iPad Pro. The Twister was built on ARM v8-A with instruction sets A64 and A32. Their performance is comparable to any chipset between A72 and A73. The A9 is as good as a Helio P90 or SD670.

The year 2016 brought the A10 Fusion. The size of this SoC remained at 16nm but it was a quad core SoC with custom Hurricane and Zephyr cores arranged in a 2+2 big.LITTLE arrangement. They ran at a blazing fast 2.34GHz. The A10 Fusion powers the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPad (2016) and the iPod touch. In 2017, the updated A10X Fusion had shrunk significantly to 10nm, and it had 6 custom Hurricane and Zephyr cores (Hexa core) arranged in a 3+3 big.LITTLE arrangement and ran faster than the original at a speed of 2.38GHz. The Fusion was built on ARM v8.1-A with instruction sets A64 and A32. Their performance is comparable to any chipset between A72 and A73. The A10 Fusion is comparable in performance with a Helio G90T, SD720G or an SD835 today.



Later that year (2016), in September, the next instalment of the Apple Silicon line called the A11 Bionic was announced. The A11 Bionic was built on a 10nm process with a Hexacore custom Moonsoon and Mistral cores arranged in a 2+4 big.LITTLE arrangement running at 2.39GHz and 1.6GHz. The A11 was Apple’s first SoC to use the in house Apple GPU as Apple were no longer using Power VR GPUs. The Phones using the A11 Bionic are the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 plus and iPhone X. The custom cores Moonsoon and Mistral are built on ARM v8.2-A with instruction sets A64. Their performance is comparable to a Cortex A65AE. The A11 is around the same level as the SD845 or SD 765G.



In September 2018, the next iteration of the Bionic SoC called the A12 Bionic was released. The A12 Bionic was built on a 7nm process and is a hexa core SoC just like its predecessor. It houses Vortex and Tempest custom cores in a 2+4 big.LITTLE arrangement running at speeds of 2.49GHz and 1.6GHz.

The next month, the updated A12X was released for use in the iPad Pro (2018). It was identical to the original A12 but had a better GPU (Apple GPU 7 core). In March 2020, another updated iteration of the A12 called the A12Z was released for the iPad Pro. It is identical with the A12 but ships with an 8 core Apple GPU. The custom cores Vortex and Tempest are built on ARM v8.3-A with instruction sets A64. Their performance is comparable to a Cortex A78. The A12 is still among the best SoCs in the world despite being over 2 years old.


The latest Apple Silicon in use is called the A13 Bionic. It is currently the best smartphone SoC in the world with a caveat. iOS is a closed system and therefore everything is streamlined and optimized to squeeze the very best out of their hardware. There is no way of knowing how the SoC would perform if it were to run an Android OS with a mishmash of parts from different companies. The A13 made it’s debut in 2019 and can be found in the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, IPhone 11 Pro Max and the iPhone SE. It is built on a 7nm process, has hexa custom cores (Lightning and Thunder) arranged in a 2+4 big.LITTLE configuration running at 2.66GHz. The custom cores Lightning and Thunder are built on ARM v8.4-A with instruction sets A64. Their performance is comparable to a Cortex A78.


Although other companies are starting to catch up with the former leader in the market, Apple are still a force to be reckoned with.

https://inquisitiveuniverse./2020/07/29/apple-silicon-soc-lineup-for-apple-smartphones/

I'll be posting the Exynos line up on the blog on Friday, you can visit if you are interested.

Below is the link to the full line of all Exynos chipsets used on Samsung phones

https://inquisitiveuniverse./2020/07/29/exynos-socs-a-full-line-up/

Great work.
But the A8 chipset was used for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus then the A9 chipset was used for iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.

taiwosamwell:
Great work.
But the A8 chipset was used for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus then the A9 chipset was used for iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus.

That was a typo when I was doing copy paste. Thanks.

Modified.

atheistandproud:


That was a typo when I was doing copy paste. Thanks.

Modified.

Okay. No ish.
It's a very nice piece.

you are doing well.. thanks for the enlightenment

Osasnidas:


you are doing well.. thanks for the enlightenment

thank you sir

iamdannyfc:

Warrapen?

skywalker240:

Baba niyen

where's my glasses o
well-done boss

Nice work bro,you always deliver

Nice work and very detailed.

Boss you are doing well. Thumbs up

Effulgent:
where's my glasses o

well-done boss

Thanks. Find those glasses well.

drjprince:
Nice work bro,you always deliver

Respect to you big man

Themandalorian:
Nice work and very detailed.

I try my best boss

Ultimategeneral:
Boss you are doing well. Thumbs up

Thank you very much

atheistandproud:

Baba niyen

ALAGA TEKINOLOJI

salute

skywalker240:

ALAGA TEKINOLOJI


salute

Lol

atheistandproud:



Lol

Baba collect your title no supprise

Snapdragon 865+ has overtaken bionic a13 as the fastest processor in the world. First launched with asus rog phone 3......so i guess you can say the fastest phone in the world right now is an android phone with the rog phone 3. This will probably be a shared position or overtaken for some time by other flagships like the latest samsung galaxy note, which is also slated to arrive with the sd 865+. Another contender for the top spot could also be the lenovo legion gaming phone when it is launched.

Nice one boss
More ink to your pen

erekking:
Snapdragon 865+ has overtaken bionic a13 as the fastest processor in the world. First launched with asus rog phone 3......so i guess you can say the fastest phone in the world right now is an android phone with the rog phone 3. This will probably be a shared position or overtaken for some time by other flagships like the latest samsung galaxy note, which is also slated to arrive with the sd 865+. Another contender for the top spot could also be the lenovo legion gaming phone when it is launched.

Noted

Yochanan01:
Nice one boss
More ink to your pen

Thank you very much.

erekking:
Snapdragon 865+ has overtaken bionic a13 as the fastest processor in the world. First launched with asus rog phone 3......so i guess you can say the fastest phone in the world right now is an android phone with the rog phone 3. This will probably be a shared position or overtaken for some time by other flagships like the latest samsung galaxy note, which is also slated to arrive with the sd 865+. Another contender for the top spot could also be the lenovo legion gaming phone when it is launched.

If Qualcomm keeps this up, I fear there won't be any reason to upgrade to 875...

Good read. Does this mean you planning on doing an in-depth on the bionic chips?

atheistandproud:


Thank you very much.

Good one Bro.

That is why iDevices will continue to be the yardstick.

KrazyDave16:

If Qualcomm keeps this up, I fear there won't be any reason to upgrade to 875...

yes, indeed

erekking:
yes, indeed

Cos right now, 865+ fully supports 144hz displays, this could mean the end of the poorly calibrated devices running 144hz via AMOLED on the 865(?).
And ROG 3 got a hidden 160Hz option. If this mode has been confirmed to run smoothly, prolly no need for an upgrade sef.

KrazyDave16:
Good read. Does this mean you planning on doing an in-depth on the bionic chips?

I don't know bro.

I'm just trying to touch on every major chipset producer. I just finished writing the on Exynos which I'll be posting to WordPress but I'll leave a link here on this post.

On Sunday, I'll post Huawei's full Kirin line up here on NL.