iPhone 6s #Chipgate: Explained!

The video explains the A9 chip used in the iPhone 6s, detailing how Apple outsourced manufacturing to two different foundries, TSMC and Samsung. It clarifies that Apple designs the chip but does not manufacture it in-house, meaning the specific supplier for a given device is not disclosed at purchase. The host emphasizes that both firms produced A9 chips of potentially different characteristics, highlighting the importance of chip size and fabrication process in performance and power efficiency. A key point is that the TSMC-built A9 is slightly larger and built on a 16 nm process, while the Samsung-built version is smaller and built on a 14 nm process, which can lead to small perceived differences in real-world performance. The video cautions that Geekbench style benchmarks may exaggerate differences because they measure peak CPU load rather than typical usage patterns like gaming, web browsing, or multitasking. It then reviews multiple real-world tests from independent outlets, noting that while TSMC often shows a modest edge in battery life's longevity and thermal behavior, the differences are generally small in everyday use. The host concludes that having two suppliers is not unusual for Apple, as they also use multiple vendors for RAM and flash storage, and frames the debate as more of a media narrative than a dramatic functional gap for most users. He invites viewers to weigh whether chipgate is a significant issue and shares personal experience with Samsung-made chips in his own unit, while keeping expectations realistic about the impact on typical day-to-day use.

Topics · technology · consumer_electronics · semiconductors · mobile_devices · industry_analysis