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Apple doesn't use ARM SoCs. They have their own designs from the PA Semi team and are really just using the ARM instruction set at this point. This is one of th

Apple doesn't use ARM SoCs. They have their own designs from the PA Semi team and are really just using the ARM instruction set at this point. This is one of the reasons there is such a big performance gap between the top android phones vs the top iPhones.

dep_b 8y ago
I guess the same can be said for AMD's x86_64 CPU's? Still it's fair to compare them to Intel x86_64 CPU's. The big difference is that ARM has something like a reference design where Intel doesn't want to share anything if they don't have to.
- rhencke 8y ago
  It's actually the other way around, humorously enough. x86_64 is also known as AMD64, and for good reason. AMD created the core 64-bit x86 design, but, more importantly, they have patents to key pieces of the ISA required to legally implement it. So, long story short, it is actually AMD who didn't have to share anything with Intel if they did not want to - Intel's 64-bit x86 CPUs are fundamentally AMD64-compatible CPUs. The most interesting thing is it resulted in a bit of an interesting legal relationship between the two. Intel licenced AMD the required rights to produce x86-compatible processors. AMD, in turn, ended up licensing Intel the IP required for Intel to create x86_64 chips. Sources: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Licensing https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Licensing https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2488/000119312509236705/dex102.htm https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2488/000119312509236...
  - dep_b 8y ago
    Well AMD might want to sell the 64 part to you, but Intel doesn't want anybody having the x86 part if they can prevent it.
shard 8y ago
I don't think that's the reason. That's a similar situation with Kryo / Mongoose / Denver CPUs that are the respective companies' own designs and are really just using the ARM instruction set.
- spullara 8y ago
  It really is the reason. Their CPUs are better than the CPUs that Android phones have access to. You can see this in the benchmarks. Compare Geekbench scores between them: https://browser.geekbench.com/ios-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/ios-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/android-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/android-benchmarks The fastest iPhone CPU is 44% faster than the fastest Android device CPU.

dep_b 8y ago

I guess the same can be said for AMD's x86_64 CPU's? Still it's fair to compare them to Intel x86_64 CPU's. The big difference is that ARM has something like a reference design where Intel doesn't want to share anything if they don't have to.

rhencke 8y ago
It's actually the other way around, humorously enough. x86_64 is also known as AMD64, and for good reason. AMD created the core 64-bit x86 design, but, more importantly, they have patents to key pieces of the ISA required to legally implement it. So, long story short, it is actually AMD who didn't have to share anything with Intel if they did not want to - Intel's 64-bit x86 CPUs are fundamentally AMD64-compatible CPUs. The most interesting thing is it resulted in a bit of an interesting legal relationship between the two. Intel licenced AMD the required rights to produce x86-compatible processors. AMD, in turn, ended up licensing Intel the IP required for Intel to create x86_64 chips. Sources: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Licensing https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Licensing https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2488/000119312509236705/dex102.htm https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2488/000119312509236...
- dep_b 8y ago
  Well AMD might want to sell the 64 part to you, but Intel doesn't want anybody having the x86 part if they can prevent it.

shard 8y ago

I don't think that's the reason. That's a similar situation with Kryo / Mongoose / Denver CPUs that are the respective companies' own designs and are really just using the ARM instruction set.

spullara 8y ago
It really is the reason. Their CPUs are better than the CPUs that Android phones have access to. You can see this in the benchmarks. Compare Geekbench scores between them: https://browser.geekbench.com/ios-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/ios-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/android-benchmarks https://browser.geekbench.com/android-benchmarks The fastest iPhone CPU is 44% faster than the fastest Android device CPU.