Technology, Process and Cost
Apple A17 SoC in iPhone 15 Pro
By Yole SystemPlus —
Full reverse costing study on technology data, manufacturing cost and selling price of the Apple A17 Chip.
SPR23776
Overview / Introduction
- Executive Summary
- Product Specification
- Reverse Costing Methodology
- Glossary
Company Profile
- Company Profile
- Apple Products
- Market Analysis
Physical Analysis
- Summary
- Smartphone Dismantle
- Package Analysis
- DRAM Analysis (Dimensions & Opening)
- SoC Die
- FEOL (TEM)
- Floorplan
Physical Comparison
Manufacturing Process Flow Analysis
- Global View
- A17 Die Process
- A17 Fab unit
- InFO Packaging Process
- Final Assembly Process
Cost Analysis
- Summary & Supply Chain
- Yields Explanation & Hypotheses
- Front-End Wafer Cost
- Die Cost
- Packaging Cost
- Component Cost
Feedbacks
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About Yole Group
This full reverse costing study has been conducted to provide insight on technology data, manufacturing cost and selling price of the Apple A17 Pro Chip.
As one of the top high-end smartphone manufacturers, Apple never stops to develop powerful processors for boosting the performance of its device. In 2023, Apple launched the A17 Pro chip which is manufactured by using the most advanced TSMC 3 nm technology node and consists of 19 billion transistors. According to Apple, A17 Pro is the most efficient mobile CPU and up to 10% faster than its predecessor. The neural engines remains the same core number but has been improved to up to two times faster and allow the phone to reach to 35 trillion operation per second. Apple also highlighted the innovative design of the GPU A17 Pro that the 6 core designed is 20% faster and its new ray tracing technology supports four times faster than the A16 Bionic.
In this report, a full analysis from physical structure, manufacturing process to cost breakdown are presented. The SoC integrates an external LPDDR5 DRAM package on the top of processor package by using TSMC InFO-PoP. Detailed study of the SoC packaging are shown by using CT-scan, high resolution optical, scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). In addition, we provide complete analysis of the processor die, material analyses, and delayering. The very interesting TSMC 3nm FinFET front-end-of-line with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is also demonstrated. Moreover, our full floorplan analysis reveals the novel IP design. Furthermore, we point out the evolution from A16 Bionic to A17 Pro by conducting a comparison of packaging, die, FEOL and floorplan. In the end, this report furnishes an overall cost analysis of Apple’s A17 Pro chip.
- Apple
- TSMC
Key Features
- Detailed photos
- Precise measurements
- Materials analysis
- Manufacturing process flow
- Supply chain evaluation
- Manufacturing cost analysis
What's new?
- The first TSMC 3nm consumer product
- The newest and most powerful smartphone SoC from Apple
Product Objectives
- Provide technology data, manufacturing cost and selling price.
- Teardown on the main board of Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max to see the components around A17 chip
- Physical analysis of packaging and processor die by CT-scan, EDX, optical microscope, scanning electron scope and transmission electron microscopy .
- Clear view on the technology and supply chain.
- SoC package size, die size, die delayering and floorplan to reveal the manufacturing and IP architecture.
- SoC manufacturing, its supply chain and cost structures.
- A comparison of Apple A16 bionic and A17 Pro chip of packaging, die, front-end-of-line and floorplan are presented to understand the evolution of Apple’s self-designed processor.