The folks at
ZiPhone spotted some code in the brand new 2.0 beta iPhone firmware that could point to the chip to be used in the upcoming 3G iPhone. The code makes mention of "SGOLD3," which could very well refer to Infineon's followup chip to the S-GOLD2 which powers the current iPhone. Infineon's less fancy name for the S-GOLD3H chip is the PMB8878, a 7.2Mbps HSDPA chip with all the video acceleration and media playback features iPhone users have come to expect. Advantages over its predecessor include higher resolution camera support (5 megapixels instead of 2), a 2x speed MMC / SD interface and DVB-H module support, but that doesn't necessarily mean any of those specs will end up in the ensuing iPhone 3G -- S-GOLD2 has plenty of features the current iPhone doesn't take advantage of. The processor speed, however, remains the same.
[Via
ZiPhone; thanks Adam B.]
[Warning: PDF link]
posted Apr 8th 2008 7:55PM
seems pretty obvious whats going to come now
Or Apple could F it up and disable a half dozen features of the chip because they don't want to support it. Like SD cards, that 5 megapixel camera. And there sure as hell isn't going to be any DVB-H support :)
The DVB-H could be in the Euro iPhones.
It's either MediaFLO or nothing on this side of the pond.
If Apple disables functions from the iPhone even though the chip supports those function, it's because Steve doesn't think it's necessary for you to have them. Whether you like it or not, he calls the shots and it doesn't matter because he's the boss and you're only a customer. So, no SD cards, and if you're lucky you might get a 3.2MP camera and that's about it.
What's the point of posting a comment like this when the sentiment of the remark about the chip's capabilities is "why gimp the thing unnecessarily when it is capable of so much more?"
Apple's usual MO is to simplify to avoid confusion. A 5MP camera will confuse no one. SD cards confuse no one (most people don't even use the microSD slots in their existing phones). All Apple can do by adding features like these is endear themselves to the technorati who then go out and evangelize their favorite products, which is invaluable free advertising.
Wow ... what an ignorant comment. These chips aren't made specifically for the device. They are chips with lots of features that manufacturers can take advantage of. Making use of those features will cost money. Not only does it cost money, but they take up room on the internet circuit board used in the iPhone. The iPhone by itself is very compact. To get all of those features, they would have to also increase the size of the device. I can guarantee that most of your modern electronic computing devices has chips in there that are not completely used ... GUARANTEE.
I see them adding a 5mpx camera, and still not allowing you to send MMS LOL
Still no GPS. Bummer. Maybe on the iPhone 3.
Just waiting to see an Apple filing at the FCC website...