Latest Blogs and Commentary
Apple Watch Series 3 Teardown
Posted: September 13, 2017, Updated October 17, 2017 Contributing Authors: Daniel Yang, Stacy Wegner We have completed the Apple Watch Series 3 teardown. We were especially interested in its cellular functionality, and whether the LTE chipset
Apple iPhone 8 Plus Teardown
Posted: September 10, 2017, Updated: October 11, 2017 Contributing Authors: Daniel Yang, Stacy Wegner, Ray Fontaine A11 Bionic Application Processor Applications Processor The iPhone 8 Plus A1897 model we examined initially is confirmed to contain
A Survey of Enabling Technologies in Successful Consumer Digital Imaging Products (Part 3: Pixel Isolation Structures)
Posted: July 24, 2017 Contributing Authors: Ray Fontaine The third topic addressed in the IISW 2017 paper was an overview of the trends we’re seeing in pixel isolation structures. These structures are critical to the performance of 1.0 µm to 1.4 µm
The 10nm Process Rollout Continues to Evolve
Explore the latest advancements in 10nm semiconductor technology, including Samsung's 10nm LPE and TSMC's 10nm FinFET processes. Learn about their impact on mobile devices like the Galaxy S8 and iPad Pro2, and discover how these innovations are driving the semiconductor industry forward.
A Survey of Enabling Technologies in Successful Consumer Digital Imaging Products (Part 2: Stacked Chip Image Sensors)
Posted: June 21, 2017 Contributing Authors: Ray Fontaine At the time of the IISW paper submission deadline in April, we hadn’t yet received the Sony Xperia XZs with 3-layer stacked Motion Eye camera. The technology development had been announced at
Samsung 18 nm DRAM cell integration: QPT and higher uniformed capacitor high-k dielectrics
Posted: June 14, 2017 Contributing Authors: Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow Samsung has begun to mass-produce their first 10 nm-class DRAM products, and we’ve taken this opportunity to analyze and compare it to the previous generations of 25
A Survey of Enabling Technologies in Successful Consumer Digital Imaging Products (Part 1: PDAF)
Posted: June 13, 2017 Contributing Authors: Ray Fontaine This year’s IISW marked the 10th anniversary of this biennial conference and corresponded to the 10th anniversary of TechInsights’ presence at the workshop. Don Scansen attended in 2007, under
Memory/Selector Elements for Intel Optane™ XPoint Memory
Posted: June 07, 2017 Contributing Authors: Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow Figure 1. A comparison of memory density TechInsights has continued to dig into the process, cell structure and materials analysis of the Intel OptaneTM XPoint memory
SK hynix’ 21 nm DRAM Cell Technology: Comparison of 1st and 2nd generation
Posted: June 05, 2017 Contributing Authors: Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow Die Photo SK hynix successively developed their 2nd generation 21 nm DRAM technology last year. Low yield and reliability issues on 21 nm 1st generation, means their
Intel 3D XPoint Memory Die Removed from Intel Optane™ PCM (Phase Change Memory)
Posted: May 18, 2017 Contributing Authors: Jeongdong Choe, Senior Technical Fellow Figure 1: Xpoint Memory Package Figure 2: Xpoint Memory Die (16 GB) TechInsights recently acquired and tore down an Intel OptaneTM M.2 80mm 16GB PCIe 3.0 and
Sony Launches First Three-Layer, 960 fps Camera with Sandwich-Stacked DRAM
Posted: May 2, 2017 Contributing Authors: Dick James, Fellow Emeritus During the ISSCC conference last February, Sony issued a press release describing “Industry's First 3-Layer Stacked CMOS Image Sensor with DRAM for Smartphones”. There have been
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 First to 10 nm
Posted: April 24, 2017 Contributing Authors: Andy Wei With the first set of Samsung Galaxy S8 teardowns, we have access now to the first SoCs produced on “10 nm” class technology. First to the 10 nm productization finish line is the Qualcomm
Samsung Galaxy S8 Teardown (SM-G950W)
Posted: April 7, 2017, Updated: April 25, 2017 We are excited to announce receipt of our Galaxy S8. Our blog details teardown findings including cost observations, verification of the 10 nm LPE process, commentary on the Qualcomm WTR5975 Gigabit LTE
Nintendo Switch Teardown
Posted: March 3, 2017, Updated: April 24, 2017 Nintendo Switch Packaging Friday was a big day for Nintendo, and indeed the gaming community as a whole, with the launch of the new and innovative console-tablet hybrid, the Nintendo Switch. For
AirPods and the W1 wireless SoC: Squeezing innovative technology inside very small packages
Posted: January 20, 2017 Contributing Authors: Jim Morrison and Daniel Yang The AirPods were announced back in September of 2016 and our analysis team at TechInsights had eagerly anticipated them to be for sale in October. However, October and
Google Pixel vs Xiaomi Mi 5s – Form, Fit, and Function Are Similar – but the Price?
Posted: October 27, 2016 Contributing Authors: Dick James Recently Google launched their Pixel phone with great fanfare and media response. This is the first phone for which Google designed the hardware, software, and cloud ecosystem, as opposed to
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