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"People in the mobile phone architecture do not buy microprocessors," says Hauser, "so, if you sell microprocessors you have the wrong model. They license them.
by lyime 16y ago
"People in the mobile phone architecture do not buy microprocessors," says Hauser, "so, if you sell microprocessors you have the wrong model. They license them."
Someone is building them. In iPhone's case its Samsung. The phone's Apple-designed A4 processor, which was built by Samsung, costs $10.75 each. Most of that is going to Samsung, part of that goes to ARM. The ASP of ARM 10-20x lower than that of Intel.
- gonzo 16y agoSomeone seems to have forgotten that ARM means "Advanced RISC Machines, Ltd" and that Acorn, Apple and VLSI were partners in A(dvanced) R(isc) M(achines). Of the three (Acorn, Apple and VLSI), only Apple is really still around. Apple must already have significant equity position in ARM being a founder. VLSI was bought by Philips Semi, which was later spun out as NXT. NXT is a user/licensee of the ARM architecture but not even the biggest one by a long shot. Intel's revenue from ARM (and yes, they still make some Xscale parts) is probably bigger than all of NXT's revenue. Acorn went belly-up as a going concern in 2000 with the remains bought by Morgan Stanley. The ARM "JV" IPOed (as ARM Holdings). In any case, I doubt that Apple pays much, if anything for its ARM license. And I doubt we really know what Apple pays for A4 parts.