# Apple A6

> system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc.

**Wikidata**: [Q420922](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420922)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_A6)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/apple-a6

## Summary
The Apple A6 is a system on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., first announced on September 12, 2012. It powered devices like the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c, featuring a custom dual-core CPU and improved graphics processing. Manufactured by Samsung using a 32 nm lithography process, it marked a significant shift toward Apple's in-house chip design.

## Key Facts
- **Announcement Date**: September 12, 2012
- **Discontinuation Date**: September 9, 2015
- **Manufacturer**: Samsung Electronics (32 nm lithography process)
- **Microarchitecture**: Apple Swift (first custom-designed CPU by Apple)
- **CPU**: Dual-core, 1.3 GHz clock speed
- **GPU**: PowerVR SGX543MP3 with 3 cores
- **Part of**: Apple A series (succeeded Apple A5X, preceded Apple A7)
- **Die Size**: 96.71 mm²
- **Used in**: iPhone 5, iPhone 5c

## FAQs
### Q: When was the Apple A6 announced?
A: The Apple A6 was announced on September 12, 2012, and discontinued on September 9, 2015.

### Q: Who manufactured the Apple A6?
A: The A6 was manufactured by Samsung Electronics using a 32 nm lithography process.

### Q: What devices used the Apple A6?
A: The A6 powered the iPhone 5 (2012) and iPhone 5c (2013).

## Why It Matters
The Apple A6 was pivotal in Apple's transition to designing its own microarchitectures, reducing reliance on licensed intellectual property. It introduced the Apple Swift CPU, doubling the performance of its predecessor while improving power efficiency. This chip enabled the iPhone 5 to deliver faster app launches, smoother graphics, and enhanced multitasking, setting a foundation for future Apple Silicon innovations. Its custom design philosophy influenced subsequent A-series chips, solidifying Apple's control over hardware-software integration and driving the company's dominance in mobile computing.

## Notable For
- First Apple SoC to use a custom-designed CPU microarchitecture (Swift).
- Featured a dual-core CPU with a 1.3 GHz clock speed and a triple-core PowerVR GPU.
- Manufactured using a 32 nm process, improving transistor density over earlier models.
- Enabled the iPhone 5 to achieve a 2x performance boost over the iPhone 4S.
- Marked a strategic shift toward vertical integration in Apple's hardware development.

## Body
### Development and Release
- **Announced**: September 12, 2012 (alongside the iPhone 5).
- **Discontinued**: September 9, 2015 (with the release of the iPhone 6s).

### Design and Manufacturing
- **Designer**: Apple Inc. (microarchitecture and GPU integration).
- **Manufacturer**: Samsung Electronics (fabricated using a 32 nm process).
- **Die Size**: 96.71 mm².

### Technical Specifications
- **CPU**: Dual-core Apple Swift, 1.3 GHz clock speed (ARMv7s instruction set).
- **GPU**: PowerVR SGX543MP3 with 3 cores.
- **Memory**: 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM (integrated into the package).

### Usage in Devices
- **Primary Devices**: iPhone 5 (2012), iPhone 5c (2013).
- **Successor**: Apple A7 (introduced in 2013 with the iPhone 5s).

### Legacy
- The A6's custom CPU design laid the groundwork for Apple's future chips, including the M-series processors.
- It was the first SoC in the A series to replace the ARM Cortex-A9 core with Apple's proprietary Swift architecture.

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Apple A6",
  "description": "System on a chip (SoC) designed by Apple Inc., announced in 2012.",
  "url": "https://www.apple.com",
  "sameAs": [
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  "manufacturer": "Samsung Electronics",
  "datePublished": "2012-09-12",
  "discontinuedDate": "2015-09-09",
  "processingBitrate": "1.3 GHz",
  "numberOfCpuCores": 2
}

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013