The use of this low density of memory highlights the efficiency of Apple’s iOS operating system compared to those of competitive smartphones, which use twice as much SDRAM, at 8 Gb IHS said. This lowers the cost of this memory subsystem, leading to greater design economy relative to alternative phones, according to IHS.
The iPhone 4S's five-lens camera module, a first in any smartphone analyzed by the IHS iSuppli Teardown Analysis service, IHS said. The 4S camera module is an autofocus device with an 8-megapixel resolution, compared to 5-megapixel resolution in the iPhone 4. Like the iPhone 4, the 4S employs backside illumination technology, IHS said.
The iPhone 4S also merges the HSPA and CDMA radio capabilities found separately in the two previous iPhone 4 models into a single product that can address global wireless networks, making it a world phone, IHS said. No other handset OEM produces a single device for multiple operators and for multiple geographies on this scale, the firm said.
Because of this, the iPhone 4S can be used on both the AT&T and Verizon wireless networks, in contrast to requiring two different models of the iPhone 4 to work in these areas. The iPhone 4S also can work with the Sprint network, making it compatible with the top three networks in the U.S. said. Changes to the radio design include the use of an updated Qualcomm baseband processor, the MDM6610, IHS said.
In contrast to the iPhone 4 models, the MDM6610 is discrete and is no longer integrated with the radio frequency transceiver, IHS said. The RF transceiver is the Qualcomm RTR8605, a dual-mode device previously observed by the IHS iSuppli Teardown Analysis Service in other handset designs, such as the Hewlett-Packard Veer and HTC Thunderbolt, the firm said
The 4S also likely makes use of three different power amplifier module module suppliers: Avago, Skyworks and TriQuint, according to IHS. Previously, only Avago was found in the CDMA version of the iPhone 4, and both Skyworks and TriQuint were featured in the HSPA/GSM version of the iPhone, IHS said.
IHS said it would soon will reveal the results of its full physical teardown and provide actual data on iPhone 4S components and features. Some firms, including iFixit.com, have already published information and photos from physical teardowns of the iPhone 4S.
