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| name = Apple A8
| name = Apple A8
| image = Apple A8 system-on-a-chip.jpg
| image = Apple A8 system-on-a-chip.jpg
| image_size = frameless|upright=1.25|100px
| image_size = frameless{{!}}upright=1.25{{!}}100px
| caption = Apple A8 processor
| caption = Apple A8 processor
| produced-start = September 9, 2014
| produced-start = September 9, 2014
| produced-end = Present
| produced-end = October 18, 2022
| slowest = 1.1 GHz ([[iPod Touch (6th generation)]])
| slowest = 1.1 GHz ([[iPod Touch (6th generation)]])
| fastest = 1.4&nbsp;GHz ([[iPhone 6]], [[iPhone 6 Plus]]) and 1.5&nbsp;GHz ([[iPad mini 4]] & [[Apple TV]] (4th Gen))<ref name="Geekbench iPad mini 4">{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/09/ipad-mini-4-performance-preview-a-1-5ghz-apple-a8-with-2gb-of-ram/|title=iPad Mini 4 performance preview: A 1.5GHz Apple A8 with 2GB of RAM|publisher=Ars Technica|date=September 15, 2015|access-date=September 16, 2015}}</ref>
| fastest = 1.4&nbsp;GHz ([[iPhone 6]], [[iPhone 6 Plus]]) and 1.5&nbsp;GHz ([[iPad mini 4]] & [[Apple TV]] (4th Gen))<ref name="Geekbench iPad mini 4">{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/09/ipad-mini-4-performance-preview-a-1-5ghz-apple-a8-with-2gb-of-ram/|title=iPad Mini 4 performance preview: A 1.5&nbsp;GHz Apple A8 with 2GB of RAM|publisher=Ars Technica|date=September 15, 2015|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916054318/http://arstechnica.com/apple/2015/09/ipad-mini-4-performance-preview-a-1-5ghz-apple-a8-with-2gb-of-ram/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| slow-unit =
| slow-unit =
| fast-unit =
| fast-unit =
| size-from = 20&nbsp;nm<ref name="AnandTech-Apple-Announces-A8" />
| size-from = [[22 nm process|22 nm]] (20SOC)<ref name="AnandTech-Apple-Announces-A8" />
| size-to =
| size-to =
| soldby =
| soldby =
| designfirm = [[Apple Inc.]]
| designfirm = [[Apple Inc.]]
| manuf1 = [[TSMC]]<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6">{{cite web|url=http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/blog/inside-the-iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus/|title=Inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus|publisher=Chipworks|date=September 19, 2014|access-date=September 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924015413/http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/blog/inside-the-iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus/|archive-date=2014-09-24}}</ref><ref name=manuf group=note />
| manuf1 = [[TSMC]]<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6">{{cite web|url=http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/blog/inside-the-iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus/|title=Inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus|publisher=Chipworks|date=September 19, 2014|access-date=September 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924015413/http://www.chipworks.com/en/technical-competitive-analysis/resources/blog/inside-the-iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus/|archive-date=2014-09-24}}</ref><ref name=manuf group=note />
| arch = [[ARMv8-A]]: <ref name="AT-20140930">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/3 |title=The iPhone 6 Review: A8's CPU: What Comes After Cyclone? |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 30, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2014}}</ref>[[ARM architecture#64/32-bit architecture|A64]], [[ARM architecture#32-bit architecture|A32]], [[ARM architecture#Thumb-2|T32]]
| arch = [[ARMv8-A]]: <ref name="AT-20140930">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/3 |title=The iPhone 6 Review: A8's CPU: What Comes After Cyclone? |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 30, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2014 |archive-date=May 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515080630/http://www.anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/3 |url-status=live }}</ref>[[ARM architecture#64/32-bit architecture|A64]], [[ARM architecture#32-bit architecture|A32]], [[ARM architecture#Thumb-2|T32]]
| microarch = Typhoon<ref name="Anandtech-typhoon">[http://anandtech.com/show/9330/exynos-7420-deep-dive/4 The Samsung Exynos 7420 Deep Dive - Inside A Modern 14nm SoC]</ref><ref name="Typhoon">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9443/apple-refreshes-the-ipod-touch-with-a8-soc-and-new-camera |title=Apple Refreshes The iPod Touch With A8 SoC And New Cameras |first=Brandon |last=Chester |date=July 15, 2015 |access-date=September 11, 2015}}</ref>
| microarch = Typhoon<ref name="Anandtech-typhoon">{{Cite web |url=http://anandtech.com/show/9330/exynos-7420-deep-dive/4 |title=The Samsung Exynos 7420 Deep Dive - Inside A Modern 14nm SoC |access-date=2015-07-07 |archive-date=2015-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707200356/http://anandtech.com/show/9330/exynos-7420-deep-dive/4 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Typhoon">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9443/apple-refreshes-the-ipod-touch-with-a8-soc-and-new-camera |title=Apple Refreshes The iPod Touch With A8 SoC And New Cameras |first=Brandon |last=Chester |date=July 15, 2015 |access-date=September 11, 2015 |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905232041/http://anandtech.com/show/9443/apple-refreshes-the-ipod-touch-with-a8-soc-and-new-camera |url-status=live }}</ref>
| code = APL1011<ref name="iiPhone6PlusTeardown">{{cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+6+Plus+Teardown/29206 |title=iPhone 6 Plus Teardown |publisher=iFixit |date=September 18, 2014 |access-date=September 19, 2014}}</ref>
| code = APL1011<ref name="iiPhone6PlusTeardown">{{cite web |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+6+Plus+Teardown/29206 |title=iPhone 6 Plus Teardown |publisher=iFixit |date=September 18, 2014 |access-date=September 19, 2014 |archive-date=July 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717233222/https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone+6+Plus+Teardown/29206 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| transistors = 2 billion
| numcores = 2<ref name="extremetech">{{cite web|last1=Anthony|first1=Sebastian|title=Apple's A8 SoC analyzed: The iPhone 6 chip is a 2-billion-transistor 20nm monster|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/189787-apples-a8-soc-analyzed-the-iphone-6-chip-is-a-2-billion-transistor-20nm-monster|website=www.extremetech.com|publisher=ExtremeTech|access-date=10 September 2014}}</ref>
| numcores = 2<ref name="extremetech">{{cite web|last1=Anthony|first1=Sebastian|title=Apple's A8 SoC analyzed: The iPhone 6 chip is a 2-billion-transistor 20nm monster|url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/189787-apples-a8-soc-analyzed-the-iphone-6-chip-is-a-2-billion-transistor-20nm-monster|website=www.extremetech.com|publisher=ExtremeTech|access-date=10 September 2014|archive-date=11 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911013845/http://www.extremetech.com/computing/189787-apples-a8-soc-analyzed-the-iphone-6-chip-is-a-2-billion-transistor-20nm-monster|url-status=live}}</ref>
| l1cache = Per core: 64&nbsp;KB instruction + 64&nbsp;KB data<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| l1cache = Per core: 64&nbsp;KB instruction + 64&nbsp;KB data<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| l2cache = 1&nbsp;MB shared<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| l2cache = 1&nbsp;MB shared<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| l3cache = 4&nbsp;MB<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| l3cache = 4&nbsp;MB<ref name="AT-20140930" />
| gpu = Custom [[PowerVR]] Series 6XT (quad-core)<ref name="Apple's A8 SoC: GX6450">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8562/chipworks-a8 |title=Chipworks Disassembles Apple's A8 SoC: GX6450, 4MB L3 Cache & More |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=September 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Kanter">{{Cite web|url=https://www.realworldtech.com/apple-custom-gpu/|title=A Look Inside Apple's Custom GPU for the iPhone|last=Kanter|first=David|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-27}}</ref>
| gpu = Custom [[PowerVR]] Series 6XT (quad-core)<ref name="Apple's A8 SoC: GX6450">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8562/chipworks-a8 |title=Chipworks Disassembles Apple's A8 SoC: GX6450, 4MB L3 Cache & More |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=September 23, 2014 |archive-date=September 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923204009/http://www.anandtech.com/show/8562/chipworks-a8 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Kanter">{{Cite web|url=https://www.realworldtech.com/apple-custom-gpu/|title=A Look Inside Apple's Custom GPU for the iPhone|last=Kanter|first=David|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-27|archive-date=2019-08-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827032014/https://www.realworldtech.com/apple-custom-gpu/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| application = Mobile
| application = Mobile
| predecessor = [[Apple A7]]
| predecessor = [[Apple A7]]
Line 30: Line 31:
}}
}}


The '''Apple A8''' is a [[64-bit computing|64-bit]] [[ARMv8-A|ARM-based]] [[system on a chip]] (SoC) designed by [[Apple Inc.]] It first appeared in the [[iPhone 6]] and [[iPhone 6 Plus]], which were introduced on September 9, 2014.<ref name="Apple iPhone 6 PR">{{cite press release |url=https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/09Apple-Announces-iPhone-6-iPhone-6-Plus-The-Biggest-Advancements-in-iPhone-History.html |title=Apple Announces iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus—The Biggest Advancements in iPhone History |publisher=Apple |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014}}</ref> Apple states that it has 25% more CPU performance and 50% more graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power of its predecessor, the [[Apple A7]]. The latest software updates for the 1.1GHz and 1.4GHz variants systems using this chip are [[iOS 12|iOS 12.5.5]], released on September 23, 2021 as they were discontinued with the release of [[iOS 13]] in 2019, while updates for the 1.5GHz variant continue for the [[iPad Mini 4]] and [[Apple_TV#HD_(previously_fourth_generation)|Apple TV HD]].
The '''Apple A8''' is a [[64-bit computing|64-bit]] [[ARMv8-A|ARM-based]] [[system on a chip]] (SoC) designed by [[Apple Inc.]], part of the [[Apple silicon]] series, It first appeared in the [[iPhone 6]] and [[iPhone 6 Plus]], which were introduced on September 9, 2014.<ref name="Apple iPhone 6 PR">{{cite press release |url=https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/09Apple-Announces-iPhone-6-iPhone-6-Plus-The-Biggest-Advancements-in-iPhone-History.html |title=Apple Announces iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus—The Biggest Advancements in iPhone History |publisher=Apple |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909213704/http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/09Apple-Announces-iPhone-6-iPhone-6-Plus-The-Biggest-Advancements-in-iPhone-History.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Apple states that it has 25% more CPU performance and 50% more graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power of its predecessor, the [[Apple A7]]. The latest software updates for the 1.1GHz and 1.4GHz variants systems using this chip are [[iOS 12|iOS 12.5.7]], released on January 23, 2023 as they were discontinued with the release of [[iOS 13]] in 2019,<ref name="Verge A8">{{cite news |last=Savov |first=Vlad |title=iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have a new faster A8 processor |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/9/9/6127111/iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus-have-a-new-faster-a8-processor |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=Vox Media |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-date=September 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910225625/http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/9/6127111/iphone-6-and-iphone-6-plus-have-a-new-faster-a8-processor |url-status=live }}</ref> and 1.5&nbsp;GHz variant for the [[iPad Mini 4]] is [[IPadOS 15|iPadOS 15.8.3]], released on July 29, 2024 as it was discontinued with the release of [[iPadOS 16]] in 2022, while updates for the 1.5&nbsp;GHz variant continue for [[Apple_TV#HD_(previously_fourth_generation)|Apple TV HD]]. The A8 chip was discontinued on October 18, 2022, following the discontinuation of the Apple TV HD.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Mitchell |date=2022-10-18 |title=The Apple TV HD is no longer available on Apple's store |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/18/23410961/apple-tv-hd-no-longer-available-4k-a8 |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>


== Design ==
== Design ==
The A8 is manufactured on a [[22 nanometer|20&nbsp;nm]] process<ref name="AnandTech-Apple-Announces-A8">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8504/apple-announces-a8-soc |title=Apple Announces A8 SoC |publisher=[[AnandTech]] |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014}}</ref> by [[TSMC]],<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6" /> which replaced [[Samsung]] as the manufacturer of Apple's mobile device processors. It contains 2 billion transistors. Despite having twice the number of transistors of the A7, the A8's physical size has been reduced by 13% to {{Convert|89|mm2|in2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="extremetech" /> The A8 uses LPDDR3-1333 RAM on a 64-bit memory interface; in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, sixth generation [[iPod Touch]], and [[HomePod]], the A8 has 1&nbsp;GB RAM included in the package.<ref name="iiPhone6PlusTeardown" /> Meanwhile, the A8 in the iPad Mini 4 and 4th generation Apple TV is packaged with 2&nbsp;GB RAM.<ref name="AnandTech iPad Pro Announced">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9615/apple-announces-the-ipad-mini-4 |first=Brandon |last=Chester |title=Apple Announces the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 |publisher=[[AnandTech]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Apple TV Dev Docs">{{cite web |url=https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/tvos/documentation/General/Conceptual/AppleTV_PG/ |title=The New Apple TV |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015}}</ref>
The A8 is manufactured on a [[22 nanometer|20&nbsp;nm]] process<ref name="AnandTech-Apple-Announces-A8">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8504/apple-announces-a8-soc |title=Apple Announces A8 SoC |publisher=[[AnandTech]] |date=September 9, 2014 |access-date=September 9, 2014 |archive-date=September 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910200128/http://www.anandtech.com/show/8504/apple-announces-a8-soc |url-status=live }}</ref> by [[TSMC]],<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6" /> which replaced [[Samsung]] as the manufacturer of Apple's mobile device processors. It contains 2 billion transistors. Despite having twice the number of transistors of the A7, the A8's physical size has been reduced by 13% to {{Convert|89|mm2|in2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="extremetech" /> The A8 uses LPDDR3-1333 RAM on a 64-bit memory interface; in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, sixth generation [[iPod Touch]], and [[HomePod]], the A8 has 1&nbsp;GB RAM included in the package.<ref name="iiPhone6PlusTeardown" /> Meanwhile, the A8 in the iPad Mini 4 and 4th generation Apple TV is packaged with 2&nbsp;GB RAM.<ref name="AnandTech iPad Pro Announced">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9615/apple-announces-the-ipad-mini-4 |first=Brandon |last=Chester |title=Apple Announces the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 |publisher=[[AnandTech]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015 |archive-date=October 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009060117/http://www.anandtech.com/show/9615/apple-announces-the-ipad-mini-4 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Apple TV Dev Docs">{{cite web |url=https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/tvos/documentation/General/Conceptual/AppleTV_PG/ |title=The New Apple TV |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015 |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909235117/https://developer.apple.com/library/prerelease/tvos/documentation/General/Conceptual/AppleTV_PG/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


The A8 CPU has a per-core [[CPU cache#Multi-level caches|L1 cache]] of 64&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KB]] for data and 64&nbsp;KB for instructions, an L2 cache of 1&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MB]] shared by both CPU cores, and a 4&nbsp;MB L3 cache that services the entire SoC.<ref name="AT-20140930" /> As its predecessor, it has a 6 decode, 6 issue, 9 wide, [[Out-of-order execution|out-of-order]] design.
The A8 CPU has a per-core [[CPU cache#Multi-level caches|L1 cache]] of 64&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KB]] for data and 64&nbsp;KB for instructions, an L2 cache of 1&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MB]] shared by both CPU cores, and a 4&nbsp;MB L3 cache that services the entire SoC.<ref name="AT-20140930" /> As its predecessor, it has a 6 decode, 6 issue, 9 wide, [[Out-of-order execution|out-of-order]] design.
The processor is dual core, and as used in the iPhone 6 has a frequency of 1.4&nbsp;GHz, supporting Apple's claim of it being 25% faster than the [[Apple A7|A7]].<ref name="Geekbench">[http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/09/iphone-6-geekbench-1-4-ghz-dual-core-a8-1gb-ram/ Alleged iPhone 6 Geekbench Results Reveal 1.4 GHz Dual-Core A8 Chip, 1 GB of RAM]</ref> It also supports the notion of this being a second generation<ref>[https://www.apple.com/iphone-6/technology/ Apple - iPhone 6 - Technology]</ref> enhanced Cyclone core called '''Typhoon''',<ref name="Anandtech-typhoon" /><ref name="Typhoon" /> and not an entirely new architecture which would supposedly mean a more significant performance gain per Hz.<ref name="AT-20140930" />
The processor is dual core, and as used in the iPhone 6 has a frequency of 1.4&nbsp;GHz, supporting Apple's claim of it being 25% faster than the [[Apple A7|A7]].<ref name="Geekbench">{{Cite web |url=http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/09/iphone-6-geekbench-1-4-ghz-dual-core-a8-1gb-ram/ |title=Alleged iPhone 6 Geekbench Results Reveal 1.4 GHz Dual-Core A8 Chip, 1 GB of RAM |access-date=2014-09-09 |archive-date=2014-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911002142/http://www.macrumors.com/2014/09/09/iphone-6-geekbench-1-4-ghz-dual-core-a8-1gb-ram/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It also supports the notion of this being a second generation<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/iphone-6/technology/ |title=Apple - iPhone 6 - Technology |access-date=2014-10-18 |archive-date=2014-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909194049/https://www.apple.com/iphone-6/technology/ |url-status=live }}</ref> enhanced Cyclone core called '''Typhoon''',<ref name="Anandtech-typhoon" /><ref name="Typhoon" /> and not an entirely new architecture which would supposedly mean a more significant performance gain per Hz.<ref name="AT-20140930" />


The A8 also integrates a [[graphics processing unit]] (GPU) which is a 4-shader-cluster [[PowerVR#Series 6XT|PowerVR Series 6XT]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/4 |title=The iPhone 6 Review: A8's GPU: Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GX6450 |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 30, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2014}}</ref> However the GPU features custom shader cores designed by Apple.<ref name="Kanter">{{Cite web|url=https://www.realworldtech.com/apple-custom-gpu/|title=A Look Inside Apple's Custom GPU for the iPhone|last=Kanter|first=David|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-27}}</ref>
The A8 also integrates a [[graphics processing unit]] (GPU) which is a 4-shader-cluster [[PowerVR#Series 6XT|PowerVR Series 6XT]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/4 |title=The iPhone 6 Review: A8's GPU: Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GX6450 |publisher=AnandTech |date=September 30, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2014 |archive-date=October 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001023540/http://anandtech.com/show/8554/the-iphone-6-review/4 |url-status=live }}</ref> However the GPU features custom shader cores designed by Apple.<ref name="Kanter"/>


On October 16, 2014, Apple introduced a variant of the A8, the [[Apple A8X|A8X]], in the [[iPad Air 2]]. Compared with the A8, the A8X has an enhanced 8-shader-cluster GPU and improved CPU performance due to one extra core and higher frequency.
On October 16, 2014, Apple introduced a variant of the A8, the [[Apple A8X|A8X]], in the [[iPad Air 2]]. Compared with the A8, the A8X has an enhanced 8-shader-cluster GPU and improved CPU performance due to one extra core and higher frequency.


The A8 has video codec encoding support for [[Advanced Video Coding|H.264]]. It has decoding support for H.264, [[MPEG-4 Part 2|MPEG‑4]], and [[Motion JPEG]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=iPhone 6 - Technical Specifications |url=https://support.apple.com/kb/SP705?locale=en_US |access-date=2022-11-05 |website=support.apple.com}}</ref>
The support of Codecs by decoding and encoding is available only for JPEG. H264, VP-1 and AVC are available for decoding. HEVC 265 (8/10bit), VP8, VP9, AV1 are not supported by hardware. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cpu-monkey.com/de/compare_cpu-apple_a8x-1661-vs-apple_a8-1662|title = Apple A8X vs. Apple A8 - Benchmark, Test und Technische Daten}}</ref>


== Patent litigation ==
== Patent litigation ==
The A8's [[branch predictor]] has been claimed to infringe on a 1998 patent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/04/cupertino_copied_processor_pipelining_claims_wisconsin_u/ |title=Cupertino copied processor pipelining claims Wisconsin U |last1=Chirgwin |first1=Richard |date=February 4, 2014 |website=www.theregister.co.uk |publisher=The Register |access-date=February 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name=ars-a7patentswisconsin>{{cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/apple-faces-862m-patent-damage-claim-from-university-of-wisconsin/|title=Apple faces $862M patent damage claim from University of Wisconsin|author=Joe Mullin|date=October 14, 2015|access-date=October 14, 2015|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref> On October 14, 2015, a district judge found Apple guilty of infringing U.S. patent {{patent|US|5781752}}, "Table based data speculation circuit for parallel processing computer", on the Apple A7 and A8 processors.<ref name=ars-a7patentswisconsin /> The patent is owned by [[Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation]] (WARF), a firm affiliated with the [[University of Wisconsin]]. On July 24, 2017, Apple was ordered to pay WARF $506 million for patent infringement. Apple filed an appellate brief on October 26, 2017, with the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit]], that argued that Apple did not infringe on the patent owned by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ip-patent-apple/apple-urges-appeals-court-to-toss-506-million-patent-loss-to-warf-idUSL2N1N12RW|title=Apple urges appeals court to toss $506 million patent loss to WARF|last=Wolfe |first=Jan |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=October 26, 2017 |access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> On September 28, 2018, the ruling was overturned on appeal and the award thrown out by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-decision-patent/apple-wins-reversal-in-university-of-wisconsin-patent-lawsuit-idUSKCN1M81TV |title= Apple wins reversal in University of Wisconsin patent lawsuit |last=Stempel |first=Jonathan |publisher=Reuters |date=September 28, 2018 |access-date=November 17, 2018}}</ref> The patent expired in December 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ip-apple-patent-idUSKBN1AB023 |title=Apple ordered to pay $506 million to university in patent dispute |last=Wolfe |first=Jan |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=July 25, 2017 |access-date=July 26, 2017}}</ref>
The A8's [[branch predictor]] has been claimed to infringe on a 1998 patent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/04/cupertino_copied_processor_pipelining_claims_wisconsin_u/ |title=Cupertino copied processor pipelining claims Wisconsin U |last1=Chirgwin |first1=Richard |date=February 4, 2014 |website=www.theregister.co.uk |publisher=The Register |access-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-date=February 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204072902/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/04/cupertino_copied_processor_pipelining_claims_wisconsin_u/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=ars-a7patentswisconsin>{{cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/apple-faces-862m-patent-damage-claim-from-university-of-wisconsin/|title=Apple faces $862M patent damage claim from University of Wisconsin|author=Joe Mullin|date=October 14, 2015|access-date=October 14, 2015|publisher=[[Ars Technica]]|archive-date=April 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420045722/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/apple-faces-862m-patent-damage-claim-from-university-of-wisconsin/|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 14, 2015, a district judge found Apple guilty of infringing U.S. patent {{patent|US|5781752}}, "Table based data speculation circuit for parallel processing computer", on the Apple A7 and A8 processors.<ref name=ars-a7patentswisconsin /> The patent is owned by [[Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation]] (WARF), a firm affiliated with the [[University of Wisconsin]]. On July 24, 2017, Apple was ordered to pay WARF $506 million for patent infringement. Apple filed an appellate brief on October 26, 2017, with the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit]], that argued that Apple did not infringe on the patent owned by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ip-patent-apple/apple-urges-appeals-court-to-toss-506-million-patent-loss-to-warf-idUSL2N1N12RW |title=Apple urges appeals court to toss $506 million patent loss to WARF |last=Wolfe |first=Jan |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=October 26, 2017 |access-date=February 22, 2018 |archive-date=February 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223050957/https://www.reuters.com/article/ip-patent-apple/apple-urges-appeals-court-to-toss-506-million-patent-loss-to-warf-idUSL2N1N12RW |url-status=live }}</ref> On September 28, 2018, the ruling was overturned on appeal and the award thrown out by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-decision-patent/apple-wins-reversal-in-university-of-wisconsin-patent-lawsuit-idUSKCN1M81TV |title=Apple wins reversal in University of Wisconsin patent lawsuit |last=Stempel |first=Jonathan |publisher=Reuters |date=September 28, 2018 |access-date=November 17, 2018 |archive-date=November 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117105059/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-decision-patent/apple-wins-reversal-in-university-of-wisconsin-patent-lawsuit-idUSKCN1M81TV |url-status=live }}</ref> The patent expired in December 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ip-apple-patent-idUSKBN1AB023 |title=Apple ordered to pay $506 million to university in patent dispute |last=Wolfe |first=Jan |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=July 25, 2017 |access-date=July 26, 2017 |archive-date=July 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726015547/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ip-apple-patent-idUSKBN1AB023 |url-status=live }}</ref>


== Products that include the Apple A8 ==
== Products that include the Apple A8 ==
* [[iPhone 6|iPhone 6 and 6 Plus]]
* [[iPhone 6|iPhone 6 & 6 Plus]]
* [[iPod Touch (6th generation)]]
* [[iPod Touch (6th generation)]]
* [[iPad Mini 4]]
* [[iPad Mini 4]]
* [[Apple TV]] HD or "4th Gen"
* [[Apple TV|Apple TV HD]] (formerly 4th generation)
* [[HomePod]]
* [[HomePod|HomePod (1st generation)]]


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
[[File:A8 APL1011 iPhone6 mlb 820-3486-A.jpg|center|thumb|A8 SoC on iPhone 6 main logic board.]]
[[File:A8 APL1011 iPhone6 mlb 820-3486-A.jpg|center|thumb|A8 SoC on iPhone 6 main logic board]]




== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Apple silicon]], the range of ARM-based processors designed by Apple.
* [[Apple silicon]], the range of ARM-based processors designed by Apple
* [[Comparison of ARMv8-A cores]]
* [[Comparison of ARMv8-A cores]]
* [[Apple A8X]]
* [[Apple A8X]]
Line 65: Line 66:
== Notes ==
== Notes ==
{{Reflist |group=note |refs=
{{Reflist |group=note |refs=
{{refn|name=manuf |group=note |Most analysts have reported that the Apple A8 is manufactured by [[TSMC]], including Chipworks,<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6" /> Techinsights,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinsights.com/reports-and-subscriptions/open-market-reports/Report-Profile/?ReportKey=10664 |title=Logic Detailed Structural Analysis of the 20 nm Node, TSMC Fabricated Apple A8 APL1011 |publisher=Techinsights |date=August 28, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208101626/http://www.techinsights.com/reports-and-subscriptions/open-market-reports/Report-Profile/?ReportKey=10664 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and AnandTech.<ref name="Analyzing Apple A9's SoC">{{cite news |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9686/the-apple-iphone-6s-and-iphone-6s-plus-review/2 | title=The Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Review: Analyzing Apple A9's SoC |first=Joshua |last=Ho |publisher=[[AnandTech]] | date=November 2, 2015 | access-date=December 3, 2015}}</ref> An analyst at IHS reports that manufacturing is split, with TSMC manufacturing about 60 percent and [[Samsung Electronics|Samsung]] manufacturing about 40 percent.<ref name="Recode">{{cite web|url=http://recode.net/2014/09/23/teardown-shows-apples-iphone-6-cost-at-least-200-to-build/ |title=Teardown Shows Apple's iPhone 6 Cost at Least $200 to Build |first=Arik |last=Hesseldahl |publisher=Re/code |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=December 1, 2015}}</ref>}}
{{refn|name=manuf |group=note |Most analysts have reported that the Apple A8 is manufactured by [[TSMC]], including Chipworks,<ref name="Chipworks-iPhone6" /> Techinsights,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinsights.com/reports-and-subscriptions/open-market-reports/Report-Profile/?ReportKey=10664 |title=Logic Detailed Structural Analysis of the 20 nm Node, TSMC Fabricated Apple A8 APL1011 |publisher=Techinsights |date=August 28, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208101626/http://www.techinsights.com/reports-and-subscriptions/open-market-reports/Report-Profile/?ReportKey=10664 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and AnandTech.<ref name="Analyzing Apple A9's SoC">{{cite news |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/9686/the-apple-iphone-6s-and-iphone-6s-plus-review/2 |title=The Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Review: Analyzing Apple A9's SoC |first=Joshua |last=Ho |publisher=[[AnandTech]] |date=November 2, 2015 |access-date=December 3, 2015 |archive-date=December 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204121611/http://anandtech.com/show/9686/the-apple-iphone-6s-and-iphone-6s-plus-review/2 |url-status=live }}</ref> An analyst at IHS reports that manufacturing is split, with TSMC manufacturing about 60 percent and [[Samsung Electronics|Samsung]] manufacturing about 40 percent.<ref name="Recode">{{cite web |url=http://recode.net/2014/09/23/teardown-shows-apples-iphone-6-cost-at-least-200-to-build/ |title=Teardown Shows Apple's iPhone 6 Cost at Least $200 to Build |first=Arik |last=Hesseldahl |publisher=Re/code |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=December 1, 2015 |archive-date=December 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208191255/http://recode.net/2014/09/23/teardown-shows-apples-iphone-6-cost-at-least-200-to-build/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
}}
}}


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|title=Apple A8|years=2014|before=[[Apple A7]] (APL0698 Variant)<br>|after=[[Apple A9]]}}
{{S-end}}


{{Apple Inc.}}
{{Apple Inc.}}
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{{Application ARM-based chips}}
{{Application ARM-based chips}}


[[Category:Apple Inc. mobile processors|A8]]
[[Category:ARM architecture]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2014]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2014]]
[[Category:64-bit microprocessors]]
[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2019]]
[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2022]]
[[Category:Apple silicon]]
[[Category:Apple silicon]]

Latest revision as of 18:42, 8 November 2024

Apple A8
Apple A8 processor
General information
LaunchedSeptember 9, 2014
DiscontinuedOctober 18, 2022
Designed byApple Inc.
Common manufacturer
Product codeAPL1011[2]
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate1.1 GHz (iPod Touch (6th generation))  to 1.4 GHz (iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus) and 1.5 GHz (iPad mini 4 & Apple TV (4th Gen))[3] 
Cache
L1 cachePer core: 64 KB instruction + 64 KB data[4]
L2 cache1 MB shared[4]
L3 cache4 MB[4]
Architecture and classification
ApplicationMobile
Technology node22 nm (20SOC)[5]
MicroarchitectureTyphoon[6][7]
Instruction setARMv8-A: [4]A64, A32, T32
Physical specifications
Transistors
  • 2 billion
Cores
GPUCustom PowerVR Series 6XT (quad-core)[9][10]
Products, models, variants
Variant
History
PredecessorApple A7
SuccessorApple A9

The Apple A8 is a 64-bit ARM-based system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., part of the Apple silicon series, It first appeared in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which were introduced on September 9, 2014.[11] Apple states that it has 25% more CPU performance and 50% more graphics performance while drawing only 50% of the power of its predecessor, the Apple A7. The latest software updates for the 1.1GHz and 1.4GHz variants systems using this chip are iOS 12.5.7, released on January 23, 2023 as they were discontinued with the release of iOS 13 in 2019,[12] and 1.5 GHz variant for the iPad Mini 4 is iPadOS 15.8.3, released on July 29, 2024 as it was discontinued with the release of iPadOS 16 in 2022, while updates for the 1.5 GHz variant continue for Apple TV HD. The A8 chip was discontinued on October 18, 2022, following the discontinuation of the Apple TV HD.[13]

Design

[edit]

The A8 is manufactured on a 20 nm process[5] by TSMC,[1] which replaced Samsung as the manufacturer of Apple's mobile device processors. It contains 2 billion transistors. Despite having twice the number of transistors of the A7, the A8's physical size has been reduced by 13% to 89 mm2 (0.138 in2).[8] The A8 uses LPDDR3-1333 RAM on a 64-bit memory interface; in the iPhone 6/6 Plus, sixth generation iPod Touch, and HomePod, the A8 has 1 GB RAM included in the package.[2] Meanwhile, the A8 in the iPad Mini 4 and 4th generation Apple TV is packaged with 2 GB RAM.[14][15]

The A8 CPU has a per-core L1 cache of 64 KB for data and 64 KB for instructions, an L2 cache of 1 MB shared by both CPU cores, and a 4 MB L3 cache that services the entire SoC.[4] As its predecessor, it has a 6 decode, 6 issue, 9 wide, out-of-order design. The processor is dual core, and as used in the iPhone 6 has a frequency of 1.4 GHz, supporting Apple's claim of it being 25% faster than the A7.[16] It also supports the notion of this being a second generation[17] enhanced Cyclone core called Typhoon,[6][7] and not an entirely new architecture which would supposedly mean a more significant performance gain per Hz.[4]

The A8 also integrates a graphics processing unit (GPU) which is a 4-shader-cluster PowerVR Series 6XT.[18] However the GPU features custom shader cores designed by Apple.[10]

On October 16, 2014, Apple introduced a variant of the A8, the A8X, in the iPad Air 2. Compared with the A8, the A8X has an enhanced 8-shader-cluster GPU and improved CPU performance due to one extra core and higher frequency.

The A8 has video codec encoding support for H.264. It has decoding support for H.264, MPEG‑4, and Motion JPEG.[19]

Patent litigation

[edit]

The A8's branch predictor has been claimed to infringe on a 1998 patent.[20][21] On October 14, 2015, a district judge found Apple guilty of infringing U.S. patent US 5781752 , "Table based data speculation circuit for parallel processing computer", on the Apple A7 and A8 processors.[21] The patent is owned by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), a firm affiliated with the University of Wisconsin. On July 24, 2017, Apple was ordered to pay WARF $506 million for patent infringement. Apple filed an appellate brief on October 26, 2017, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, that argued that Apple did not infringe on the patent owned by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.[22] On September 28, 2018, the ruling was overturned on appeal and the award thrown out by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.[23] The patent expired in December 2016.[24]

Products that include the Apple A8

[edit]
[edit]
A8 SoC on iPhone 6 main logic board


See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Most analysts have reported that the Apple A8 is manufactured by TSMC, including Chipworks,[1] Techinsights,[25] and AnandTech.[26] An analyst at IHS reports that manufacturing is split, with TSMC manufacturing about 60 percent and Samsung manufacturing about 40 percent.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus". Chipworks. September 19, 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-09-24. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "iPhone 6 Plus Teardown". iFixit. September 18, 2014. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  3. ^ "iPad Mini 4 performance preview: A 1.5 GHz Apple A8 with 2GB of RAM". Ars Technica. September 15, 2015. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "The iPhone 6 Review: A8's CPU: What Comes After Cyclone?". AnandTech. September 30, 2014. Archived from the original on May 15, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Smith, Ryan (September 9, 2014). "Apple Announces A8 SoC". AnandTech. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "The Samsung Exynos 7420 Deep Dive - Inside A Modern 14nm SoC". Archived from the original on 2015-07-07. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
  7. ^ a b Chester, Brandon (July 15, 2015). "Apple Refreshes The iPod Touch With A8 SoC And New Cameras". Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  8. ^ a b Anthony, Sebastian. "Apple's A8 SoC analyzed: The iPhone 6 chip is a 2-billion-transistor 20nm monster". www.extremetech.com. ExtremeTech. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  9. ^ Smith, Ryan (September 23, 2014). "Chipworks Disassembles Apple's A8 SoC: GX6450, 4MB L3 Cache & More". AnandTech. Archived from the original on September 23, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Kanter, David. "A Look Inside Apple's Custom GPU for the iPhone". Archived from the original on 2019-08-27. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  11. ^ "Apple Announces iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus—The Biggest Advancements in iPhone History" (Press release). Apple. September 9, 2014. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  12. ^ Savov, Vlad (September 9, 2014). "iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have a new faster A8 processor". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  13. ^ Clark, Mitchell (2022-10-18). "The Apple TV HD is no longer available on Apple's store". The Verge. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  14. ^ Chester, Brandon (September 9, 2015). "Apple Announces the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4". AnandTech. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  15. ^ "The New Apple TV". Apple Inc. September 9, 2015. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  16. ^ "Alleged iPhone 6 Geekbench Results Reveal 1.4 GHz Dual-Core A8 Chip, 1 GB of RAM". Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-09-09.
  17. ^ "Apple - iPhone 6 - Technology". Archived from the original on 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
  18. ^ "The iPhone 6 Review: A8's GPU: Imagination Technologies' PowerVR GX6450". AnandTech. September 30, 2014. Archived from the original on October 1, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  19. ^ "iPhone 6 - Technical Specifications". support.apple.com. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  20. ^ Chirgwin, Richard (February 4, 2014). "Cupertino copied processor pipelining claims Wisconsin U". www.theregister.co.uk. The Register. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  21. ^ a b Joe Mullin (October 14, 2015). "Apple faces $862M patent damage claim from University of Wisconsin". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  22. ^ Wolfe, Jan (October 26, 2017). "Apple urges appeals court to toss $506 million patent loss to WARF". Reuters. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  23. ^ Stempel, Jonathan (September 28, 2018). "Apple wins reversal in University of Wisconsin patent lawsuit". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  24. ^ Wolfe, Jan (July 25, 2017). "Apple ordered to pay $506 million to university in patent dispute". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  25. ^ "Logic Detailed Structural Analysis of the 20 nm Node, TSMC Fabricated Apple A8 APL1011". Techinsights. August 28, 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  26. ^ Ho, Joshua (November 2, 2015). "The Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Review: Analyzing Apple A9's SoC". AnandTech. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  27. ^ Hesseldahl, Arik (September 23, 2014). "Teardown Shows Apple's iPhone 6 Cost at Least $200 to Build". Re/code. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
Preceded by
Apple A7 (APL0698 Variant)
 Apple A8
2014 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Apple_A8&oldid=1256195424"