Case Study: Apple iPhone

YEEE0004 Fall 2009

Hayden Kwok-Hay So

Once upon a time…  Apple Newton

(MessagePad) •  1993-1998 •  ARM 610 (20 MHz)

or StrongARM SA-110 (162 MHz)

•  4MB – 8MB ROM •  640kB – 3MB RAM

  Target the PDA market

11.94cm

21.1

cm

Big Failure

Jan 9, 2007

1st generation iPhone announced

1st gen 2nd gen: 3G 3rd gen: 3GS 2007 2008 2009

iPhone Family Highlight   Hardware:

original & 3G •  Samsung ARM 1176

processor (412 MHz) + PowerVR MBX 3D graphics co-processor

•  128 MB DRAM 3GS •  ARM Cortex-A8

600 MHz PowerVR SGX GPU

•  256 MB DRAM

  8,16,32 GB flash memory storage

  WiFi + Bluetooth

  Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 •  Usable on any GSM

network in the world   Input method:

  3.5” touch screen   1 button

  Only in 3G model: •  GPS •  UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100

•  Usable in most 3G network in the world

•  Only in 3GS model: •  Digital compass

Inside an iPhone 3G

Antennas GSM 850/900 MHz

GSM 1800/1900 MHz

WiFi / Bluetooth (2.4 GHz)

GPS

Software   iPhone OS based on Darwin

•  The same foundation that forms OS X

  Full featured Safari web browser •  “Full Internet experience”

  Official software development kit (SDK)

  App Store •  Over 65,000 apps as of 7/14/09

  Unofficial 3rd party SDK

Tied to the Internet   Fully functional Safari browser   Access Internet directly

•  No WAP gateway   All applications assume an always-on Internet

connection, e.g. •  Maps App always pull map data from Google Map’s

server from the Internet •  Weather App always pull live weather information from

the Internet   High demand of data bandwidth

•  EDGE (2.5G network) •  UMTS (3G network)

  Possibly caused the AT&T 3G network collapse in the USA, July 29, 2009

WAP

UMTS PSTN

Internet WAP gateway

With WAP gateway: Translates websites from Internet into a simpler versions that are suitable for cell phones’ small screens

Without WAP gateway: Data traffics from Internet goes directly to the cell phone

  Without a WAP gateway, a cell phone can have access to not just world wide web (http protocol)

Beyond WWW  Direct Internet Access + Application

SDK = All sorts of great Apps

 YouTube streaming

 VoIP App on iPhone •  E.g. Skype

Voice over IP (VoIP)   Transmit voice over IP network

•  Transmit phone calls over the Internet

Internet

VoIP and iPhone

  With direct Internet access, it’s possible to create a VoIP App

  Official Skype App is FREE on official App Store   Restricted to use WiFi connection only

•  NOT 3G network!   Why not 3G network?!

Internet