iPhone 4 Teardown

iPhone 4 Teardown provide a look inside this new device. For more detailed technical information on the silicon inside the iPhone 4, be sure to check out Chipworks’ in-depth analysis of the iPhone 4′s components. Chipworks will take the reader inside what makes the iPhone 4 so amazingly cool to Apple fanboys. The reviewers of several magazines have already agreed that the iPhone 4’s hardware is state-of-the-art industrial design.

iPhone4-hero-shot

The hardware includes: iPhone 4 is based on 1 GHz Apple A4 ARM (Cortex A8) processor, 512 megabytes of RAM, Texas Instruments touch display controller, Cirrus Logic sound, STMicro gyroscope, Broadcom 802.11n/Bluetooth, and some other ICs from Skyworks and TriQuintin.

42 Comments

  1. Tomi says:

    iPhone 4 Leads the Pack With Stunning Design, Interface
    http://www.wired.com/reviews/product/pr_iphone_4

    Apple’s fourth-generation iPhone makes its predecessors look like toys. Heck, even the iPad looks sissy now. It’s an impressive upgrade.

    The defining feature of the iPhone 4 is its 960-by-640-pixel display, which has a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, far higher than any other consumer display. Apps, websites, photos and videos look stellar. Text is crisper, images look rich and detailed, and colors are stunning. It’s been hard to put down this phone: Staring at that screen is addictive.

    Currently, FaceTime is only available for iPhone 4 users, so the number of people you can video chat with is limited. However, Apple published FaceTime as an open protocol: Any software developer can integrate the service into their third-party software on Macs, Windows machines or even competing smartphones, such as the HTC Evo 4G.

    However, AT&T’s overloaded 3G network remains a major concern for old-school telephoning. Call quality sounds clearer with a noise-canceling microphone on top of the handset, but reception problems persist

    Reply
  2. Tomi says:

    iPhone costs $188 to make
    http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/06/28/iphone-costs-188-to-make/

    Another day, another iSuppli teardown. The folks at iSuppli have found that the iPhone 4, according to their estimates, costs $188 to make. While this is almost comically low, it says something about Apple’s ability to mass produce phones and the high margins they’re able to make on relatively low-cost products.

    In related news, iFixIt is now selling almost all the replacement parts you could want for your iPhone so you can build our own device at home, even further undercutting Apple’s dreaded hegemony.

    Reply
  3. tomi says:

    Comments on iPhone 4 “antenna problem”:

    Letter from Apple Regarding iPhone 4
    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/07/02appleletter.html

    “We have discovered the cause of this dramatic drop in bars, and it is both simple and surprising.
    Upon investigation, we were stunned to find that the formula we use to calculate how many bars of signal strength to display is totally wrong. “

    Reply
  4. Alan Arp says:

    “Steve Jobs, shares displeasure with the critical coverage of the phone’s reception problems” Maybe if they acknowleged our concerns sooner the media storm wouldn’t have gotten so bad. I think people at Apple thought if they ignored the problem it would disappear. Obviously Apple is absolutely on its way to become the company they once hated.

    Reply
  5. tomi says:

    Scenes from the iPhone 4 antenna press event (photos)
    http://news.cnet.com/2300-1035_3-10004149.html?tag=mncol

    Apple held an invite-only press conference to discuss its latest mobile device, the iPhone 4, and more specifically, the reported reception issues users were having.

    Jobs referred to the situation as “Antennagate,” but said that getting signal loss from holding the iPhone 4 was “not unique” when compared to other smartphones.

    Reply
  6. Tomi says:

    Some new links on iPhone4 antenna issue:

    Papermaster’s Departure Linked to ‘Cultural Incompatibility’ Rather Than Antenna Issues
    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/08/papermasters-departure-linked-to-cultural-incompatibility-rather-than-antenna-issues/

    Papermaster and That Damn Antenna
    http://daringfireball.net/2010/08/papermaster_damn_antenna

    Reply
  7. Tomi says:

    iPhone share of phone market in Q1: 5% volumes, 20% revenues, 55% profit
    http://www.asymco.com/2011/05/16/iphone-share-of-phone-market-in-q1/

    Reply
  8. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Apple’s iPhone 4S Cracked Open, Money Spills Out
    http://allthingsd.com/20111019/apples-iphone-4s-cracked-open-money-spills-out/

    In the case of the iPhone 4S, Rassweiler estimates that the BOM cost ranges from $188 for the 16 gigabyte version of the iPhone 4S to $207 for the 32GB version and $245 for the 64GB version. Apple and its carrier partners sell the phones for $199, $299 and $399 respectively, typically with a two-year contract for wireless service that carriers use to subsidize the cost they pay Apple.

    Reply
  9. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) Mobile Handset Hardware Analysis
    Teardown Analysis – Apple iPhone 4S (16GB) Mobile Handset
    http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/Pages/Apple-iPhone-4S-16GB-Mobile-Handset-Hardware-Analysis.aspx

    Reply
  10. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Video: Apple iPhone 4S Animated Teardown
    http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=236187

    The flash movie allows you to drill down to the component level and visualize the assembly and packaging of Apple’s latest product.

    Reply
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  12. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case fixes its own scratches and blemishes
    http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/16/2710969/nissan-scratch-shield-iphone-case-healing

    A few years ago, Nissan developed a type of paint for its cars that can automatically fix scratches — now the company’s taking its tech off your car and onto your iPhone 4 or 4S.

    And did we mention it heals itself? The case’s paint is made of polyrotaxane, which Nissan says reacts when its structure is changed and actually morphs back into its original shape, covering over the scratch. The process takes between an hour and a week depending on the severity of the blemish

    Reply
  13. Tomi Engdahl says:

    NYTimes: Why Apple builds its products in China
    http://9to5mac.com/2012/01/21/nytimes-why-apple-builds-its-products-in-china/

    The most interesting tale might have been the last minute decision to make the iPhone’s display glass

    Interestingly, the biggest piece of the iPhone made in the U.S. is the processor, which is manufactured in Texas.

    Reply
  14. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Foxconn employee tells us that the next iPhone is ready for production, indicates likely summer launch
    http://9to5mac.com/2012/01/25/foxconn-employee-tells-us-that-the-next-iphone-is-ready-for-production-indicates-likely-summer-launch/

    word from a reliable source at Foxconn in China that the iPhone 5, as it is currently being called, is now gearing for production.

    4+ inch display (made by LG on at least one of them).

    Samples so far have been symmetrical in thickness (also longer/wider).

    Reply
  15. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Slideshow: Apple iPhone 4S Teardown
    http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1365&doc_id=234577&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily

    What’s new and different in the iPhone 4S, compared to the original iPhone 4? That’s what UBM TechInsights sought to find out when we did this teardown of a spanking new, white 4S.

    Reply
  16. Tomi Engdahl says:

    iPhone to get 4.6-inch Retina display, report says
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57402126-64/iphone-to-get-4.6-inch-retina-display-report-says

    Waiting for an iPhone with a larger display? Hold on, Apple might already placing orders with suppliers, according to Reuters.

    Apple is purportedly already placing orders with suppliers for a 4.6-inch iPhone Retina display, Reuters said today, citing a report in South Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper. The phone is due in the second quarter, according to the report.

    If accurate, that would be Apple’s third device with a Retina display. The others include the just-released 9.7-inch iPad and the 3.5-inch iPhone 4S.

    Reply
  17. Tomi Engdahl says:

    ‘Unibody’ iPhone 5 said to debut in October
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/09/iphone_5_rumors/

    Apple’s next iPhone will be released in October, not June, and it will have a unibody construction similar to that of the MacBook Pro – that is, if you believe the latest crop of rumors.

    Reply
  18. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Microsoft Passed On iPhone-Like Device In 1991
    http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/04/15/1246251/microsoft-passed-on-iphone-like-device-in-1991
    Microsoft apparently could have been a contender in the smartphone market, instead of what WP7 is today. Former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold says he tried to convince Microsoft to make an iPhone-like device more than two decades ago.
    ‘The cost will not be very high,’ Myhrvold wrote in 1991.

    How former Microsoft tech chief Nathan Myhrvold could have created the iPhone
    http://www.geekwire.com/2012/how-nathan-myhrvold-almost-invented-the-iphone/

    A cover story in Men’s Journal, called “How a Geek Grills a Burger,” casts the former Microsoft chief technology officer as a “mad scientist” living out a “nerd fantasy.”

    “In 1991, Myhrvold predicted the emergence of the iPhone down to the smallest detail, describing a “digital wallet” that would consolidate all personal communication — telephone, schedule manager, notepad, contacts, and a library of music and books, all in one. It would record and archive everything you asked it to, he surmised. “The cost will not be very high,” he wrote. “It is pretty easy to imagine a $400 to $1,000 retail price.” Microsoft, however, was too cost conscious and risk averse to execute Myhrvold’s vision. “Hey, it was better than predicting the wrong thing,” Myhrvold says now.”

    How a Geek Grills a Burger
    http://apple.slashdot.org/story/12/04/15/1246251/microsoft-passed-on-iphone-like-device-in-1991

    Since cashing out of Microsoft, software genius Nathan Myhrvold has lived a nerd fantasy — digging up T. rexes, dabbling in Formula One, and creating a cooking bible only a mad scientist could love.

    Reply
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  22. Tomi Engdahl says:

    A glimpse inside Foxconn’s iPhone plant
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57442283-37/a-glimpse-inside-foxconns-iphone-plant/

    A Chinese news site gets a rare tour of Foxconn’s plant in Zhengshou, China, where iPhones are made — a treat for all factory nerds, let alone Apple fans.

    Reply
  23. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Leaked snaps said to confirm iPhone 5 speculation
    http://www.reghardware.com/2012/05/30/iphone_5_rumours_confirmed_through_leaked_product_shots/

    Much of the speculation surrounding Apple’s next iPhone appears to have been confirmed through allegedly leaked product shots which show the iPhone 5 to have a smaller dock connector, redesigned speaker grilles and a repositioned microphone on the rear.

    Various images of the supposed next-gen iPhone were snagged by 9to5Mac, which reckons the images show the phone’s antenna moulded into a metal – or metal textured – backplate.

    Further pics of the apparent iPhone 5 body show the front-facing camera repositioned in the centre, above the earpiece.

    Reply
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  25. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Why chip names tell us very little about the iPhone 5
    http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/why-chip-names-tell-us-very-little-about-the-iphone-5/20629

    Summary: The problem with processor names is that history tells us that there’s very little we can deduce about the underlying hardware from these letters and numbers

    Based on rumor and some guesswork, I expect that the iPhone 5 will feature a dual-core CPU, possibly clocked to 1 GHz, and an updated quad-core GPU powering the graphics. This should be more than enough of an upgrade to keep the iPhone ahead of the competition.

    Reply
  26. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Jailbreaking Apple’s iOS: Thank goodness for hacking enthusiasts
    http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4375687/Jailbreaking-Apple-s-iOS–Thank-goodness-for-hacking-enthusiasts-?cid=EDNToday

    Thankfully, although the process was a bit tedious considering the number of devices I needed to tackle, it all went fairly smoothly.

    Reply
  27. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Huge Shocker: Men Love The Zooey Deschanel iPhone Ad
    http://www.cultofmac.com/167323/huge-shocker-men-love-the-zooey-deschanel-iphone-ad/

    “Apple has proven that celebrities go well with Siri.”

    According to new research, Apple’s latest ads are being received very well. Specifically, men between the age of 18-34 seem to really be showing interest in the Zooey ad. We wonder why.

    Reply
  28. Tomi Engdahl says:

    New iPhone prototypes have NFC chips and antenna
    http://9to5mac.com/2012/06/25/new-iphone-prototypes-have-nfc-chips-and-antenna/

    We have previously been able to pull data from PreEVT iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2 prototypes codenamed “N41AP (5,1)” and “N42AP (5,2)”, which lead us to believe that the new iPhone will have a bigger 1,136-by-640 display. We also detailed a lot of the hardware (here), but we forgot one very important bit of information. Further investigation into this hardware code dump leads us to believe that these iPhones also have Near Field Communication controllers directly connected to the Power Management Unit.

    Reply
  29. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Photos of alleged next-generation iPhone motherboard surface, point to new antennas, battery
    http://9to5mac.com/2012/08/12/photos-of-alleged-next-generation-iphone-internal-board-surface-point-to-new-antennas-battery/

    A WeiPhone forums user posts a couple of photos of what is apparently claimed to be a motherboard/logicboard for the next-generation iPhone. If legitimate, the part appears to be a prototype unit because it is missing much of the typical labeling.

    Reply
  30. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Teardown Preview: Inside the Apple iPhone 5
    http://www.edn.com/design/systems-design/4394764/Teardown-Preview–Inside-the-Apple-iPhone-5?cid=Newsletter+-+EDN+Today

    This teardown preview offers a taste of what’s to come when the Apple iPhone 5 is released, which appears likely in a matter of weeks.

    Reply
  31. Tomi Engdahl says:

    New iPhone 5 pictures leaked, full phone this time – confirm longer screen
    http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/46494/new-iphone-5-pictures-leaked-longer-screen

    New pictures of what is purportedly the iPhone 5 have been leaked, with some displaying the new device next to the iPhone 4S in order to show off its proportions.

    Reply
  32. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Apple iDevice dock port to drive wireless streaming
    Analog audio out, AirPlay in
    http://www.reghardware.com/2012/09/03/apple_dock_connector_update_to_drive_wireless_streaming/

    Will Apple’s new dock connector, expected to debut on the iPhone 5, signal the end of low-cost audio docks? The makers of such kit seem to think so.

    With no analog lines in the new connector, there’ll be no simple port converter product either.

    Ditching analog out will have not only helped Apple slim down the iDevice dock connector, but it will also drive speaker manufacturers and users toward wireless streaming using Apple’s own AirPlay tech, or over Bluetooth.

    Reply
  33. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Sources: Apple to be sole maker of Dock Connector Adapters
    http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/sources-apple-to-be-sole-maker-of-dock-connector-adapters/

    Responding to earlier reports that Apple hasn’t offered developers parts or specs for next-generation Dock Connector accessories, additional sources have confirmed to iLounge that Apple will be the exclusive initial vendor of a new Dock Connector Adapter, to be sold individually and/or in three-packs. According to sources, the Dock Connector Adapters will sell for approximately $10 each

    Reply
  34. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Six months under water and iPhone 4 STILL WORKS
    http://www.reghardware.com/2012/10/11/six_months_in_lake_and_iphone_still_works/

    In April 2012, though, Ken Hovanes accidentally lost his Apple hardware in Smith Lake, Alabama. Unable to see far into the murky depths, and seemingly unwilling to go for a blind diving expedition, Mr. Butterfingers gave up all hope and bought a new phone.

    This weekend, however, the lake’s water levels were low enough to see part of the the bed, and Hovanes not only found his old phone, but managed to get it working again. Just about.

    Apparently, after cleaning it up and drying it out, the phone turns on and the touchscreen still works. There’s no sound and the battery is kaput, but Hovanes is still overly impressed with the iPhone’s durability, sharing his story on t’interweb. If only it would connect to his computer.

    Of course, we only have Hovanes’ word for the story, though his pics do do show an iffy backlight, a bulging battery and a cack-covered casing.

    Reply
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  38. Tomi Engdahl says:

    Replacing a dead iPhone battery
    http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/brians-brain/4441295/Replacing-a-dead-iPhone-battery-?_mc=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_weekly_20160128&cid=NL_EDN_EDT_EDN_weekly_20160128&elq=ec28ae117ab744f78dcc12fd385a63a0&elqCampaignId=26717&elqaid=30561&elqat=1&elqTrackId=76601df36ad24881a0641754e1f4b01b

    This was my work (Verizon carrier, versus personal AT&T carrier) phone, and it was a Friday, so instead of switching to a different handset right away I ordered a replacement battery (complete with toolset) for $20 from Amazon with free Prime two-day shipping. It arrived mid-day the following Monday, and I set to work on the swap right away. Bafflingly, the battery-plus-tools didn’t come with any installation instructions; fortunately, iFixit came through once again. I recommend that you supplement this writeup with a perusal of their battery-replacement guide, which also includes additional images.

    Removing (and replacing) the battery is relatively straightforward, thanks to iFixit and using the included plastic tool. The most challenging bit is not losing the pressure contact mentioned in iFixit’s instructions

    Good news: when I got everything reassembled and turned the phone back on, it smoothly booted to full-on operation with a 75%-charged battery indication. Bad news: when I plugged it into a charger to top off the battery, it once again began rapidly discharging. I at least had sufficient new-battery power to get my stored photos off it, but it’s obviously reached a point of terminal demise; I suspect that the charging circuitry itself has failed.

    Reply

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