iPhone X Teardown • Hacker News Board

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#41

Post by mandeepj » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:15 PM UTC

wnevets wrote: post #37

mankash666 wrote: post #2

Truly impressive. Smaller, yet faster than the competition. Surprising how many of the chips are now internal Apple components: 1. CPU/GPU 2. Auxiliary Machine Learning/AI chip 3. NAND controller 4. IR Deapth sensor & signal processing chip 5. Power management IC (surprising that Apple is doing Analog IC design too!) Axiom in the tech world is that "Apple is a software company that builds hardware". Above is ample ev…

With how buggy iOS 11 is/was, it really does show where their focus has been.

Software bugs can be fixed with iterations but hardware....nope. Not without a recall

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#42

Post by nsxwolf » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:15 PM UTC

valuearb wrote: post #28

nsxwolf wrote: post #17

Do you really need to hold it up to your face like I've been seeing? The reviewers look so awkward and uncomfortable. I was hoping it would see your face laying on the desk and whatnot.

You need to look at it. Just like when you use it.

I never unlock my phone by picking it up, holding it in front of my face, looking at it, and then putting my thumb on the sensor.

I pick it up off my desk with my thumb on the home button and it's unlocked long before I start using the phone.

I also frequently use my phone laying flat on the desk, reaching over and just pressing the home button.

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#43

Post by asteli » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:16 PM UTC

diggan wrote: post #14

Is there another reason than space-saving for the two batteries instead of one bigger one but L-shaped?

My guesses:

- Cheaper to produce / higher yields than an L shape?

- LiIon batteries have a power density energy density tradeoff. Perhaps the batteries have different chemistries so as to get the best of both worlds.

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#44

Post by JustSomeNobody » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:16 PM UTC

mankash666 wrote: post #2

Truly impressive. Smaller, yet faster than the competition. Surprising how many of the chips are now internal Apple components: 1. CPU/GPU 2. Auxiliary Machine Learning/AI chip 3. NAND controller 4. IR Deapth sensor & signal processing chip 5. Power management IC (surprising that Apple is doing Analog IC design too!) Axiom in the tech world is that "Apple is a software company that builds hardware". Above is ample ev…

Who thinks Apple is a software company? Because they're wrong. Apple started off making hardware and they've always made hardware. They make software to compliment their hardware.

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#45

Post by mankash666 » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:17 PM UTC

criddell wrote: post #10

alvis wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strategically, I think Apple has made a right move by internalising all the hardware designs. That said, as many have suggested, the new iPhone is no more than just another faster, smaller, and costlier.

Doesn't Samsung do that as well though? They make screens, and CPUs and many of the other components in a modern phone, don't they? I'm wondering when Apple will start making their own camera sensors.

Multiple differences between Samsung and Apple:

1. Samsung was a semiconductor maker, that successfully moved up to make phones. Apple was a integrator of third party chips that successfully went down to own many of the chips.

2. Apple's chips are significantly better than the competition. Partly because the chip division has a captive customer whose requirements are more apparent, plus no middlemen thanks to the vertical integration

3. Samsung's components need to serve multiple segments of the phone market, and other external customers. Apple only builds for Apple's specs

4. Every new breakthrough on the iPhone has been because of a chip that Apple alone had. From the very first iPhone's capacitive touch sensors to the new IR sensor system, no one else has the access for a couple phone cycles. Apple put out a 64 bit ARM processor even before arm had finalized the instruction set

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#46

Post by asteli » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:18 PM UTC

This is an engineering masterpiece. The electrical engineer in me is mind-blown. I love the inter-PCB BGA-style interface. Standoff, connector and shield all in one component. And the component density is stunning.

Clean internal layout, relatively serviceable, structured light 3D scanning built in. You can debate whether or not Apple have made good UI decisions, but the hardware design execution here is superb.

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#47

Post by GeekyBear » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:20 PM UTC

bluthru wrote: post #23

alvis wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strategically, I think Apple has made a right move by internalising all the hardware designs. That said, as many have suggested, the new iPhone is no more than just another faster, smaller, and costlier.

>That said, as many have suggested, the new iPhone is no more than just another faster, smaller, and costlier. FaceID is a huge leap and affects how people use their phones. The phone can behave differently if you are looking at it. For example: showing sensitive info only if you're looking at it, and not playing notification sounds as loud (or at all) if you see the notification as it comes in.

There's an interesting article from the folks at Wired who have been attempting to fool Face ID without any success so far.

https://www.wired.com/story/tried-to-beat-face-id-and-failed...

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#48

Post by derefr » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:22 PM UTC

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #36

valuearb wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need to look at it. Just like when you use it.

I can't tell if you're being passive aggressive or not. Many, many people have pointed out that looking directly at the phone (as needed by Face ID), is NOT the only way to use a phone. Sometimes one just wants to glance down at the screen to see a notification. Watch Nilay's review and you'll see what I mean.

You look at the phone to unlock it; notifications still display when the phone is locked. I believe waking up the phone just involves raising it a bit (like in the Watch), along with some light-sensor heuristic (like in the AirPods.) Or, y’know, pressing the sleep button.

Re: iPhone X Teardown

#49

Post by chaostheory » Fri, Nov 03, 2017, 8:25 PM UTC

gehsty wrote: post #20

alvis wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strategically, I think Apple has made a right move by internalising all the hardware designs. That said, as many have suggested, the new iPhone is no more than just another faster, smaller, and costlier.

Just smaller and faster with new technology, never before seen delivered at this size, capability or scale. What does Apple have to do to impress people? Do all this then give the phones away for free?