14 DAY TRIAL // As a big fan of the iPhone (and if you have a weak heart), it's probably best to move along while there's still time, as one of the first iPhone 3G units sold in New Zealand has just been "dissected." All of its inner parts have been removed and are now lying lifeless on a white table. Look... if you dare!
iFixit and Engadget have managed to get their hands on an iPhone 3G and, without fail, they've taken it apart, piece by piece. The most interesting aspect is, of course, the chipset, which has been carefully cataloged by iFixit as follows:
- Intel NOR flash in the middle left of the shot: 3050M0Y0CE 5818A456
- The largest chip in the top left corner is an Infineon 337S3394 WEDGE baseband.
- Skyworks power amplifier SKY77340 (Power Amplifier Module Quad) on the top right: Octopart datasheet
- The chip in the top middle is SMP 3i 6820, Infineon SM-Power3i. From Infineon: the part is "optimized to support modem and data card applications based upon X-GOLD208 and X-GOLD 608, with features ranging from EDGE up to 3G and HSDPA.
- The three chips along the bottom are TriQuint Tritium PA-duplexers: TQM616035 TQM676031 TQM666032. Presumably, each one works on a different frequency band: "Each highly-integrated module contains a Tx input filter, a linear Power Amplifier, Duplexer, and Coupler."
- Small chip to the right of the NOR: Infineon BGA736 (Tri-Band HSDPA LNA)
The identities of some chips are still being kept well under wraps, such as is the case with the SP836175 G0822 337S3394 (rumored to be an Infineon baseband), the Marvell 6475 (rumored to be IF SAW Filter), and the 338S03532Z 60814 (rumored to be an Infineon RF transceiver), according to the same source.
As some of you may have already noticed while watching "Apple's iPhone 3G. A Guided Tour," the new device now sports two large screws near its dock connector and speaker, which makes it fairly easy to pop the device open. This, iFixit claims, will probably lead the way to user-replaceable batteries - more so given that this actual battery lists a capacity of 1150 mAh, not the 1400 mAh Apple originally advertised, which probably means more powerful batteries might be on their way. It is safe to assume this is the case, since soldering will not be needed to put the battery into place in the new iPhone 3G.
Interestingly, "the recycle marker on the battery is blacked out with a sharpie," the autopsy revealed.
Full details on the "operation" can be found at iFixit.
