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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus use two accelerometers for better power management

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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus use two accelerometers for better power management

Apple is using two accelerometers in both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Chipworks has discovered in its extensive teardowns of the two handsets. The first is the three-axis BMA280 accelerometer, made by Bosch, and the second is believed to be InvenSense’s six-axis MPU-6700.

The inclusion of two discrete accelerometers may initially seem odd, given the extra room and cost needed in order to put them both into the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but in reality it makes more sense than you think.

What this means is that for gaming and other applications that require “sophisticated inertial sensing capabilities,” the iPhone will use the InvenSense. But for more simple tasks, like rotating the screen to match its orientation or tracking footsteps, the iPhone will use the Bosch.

This remarkable engineering trick results not only in less power consumption, but also a more streamlined user experience. The Bosch accelerometer has a significantly faster cold start up time than the InvenSense—3ms vs. 30ms, respectively—meaning users see less of a delay.

The inclusion of two different accelerometers is the kind of thing that sets Apple apart from the competition. It could easily have gotten away with using just the one, but instead opted for two because it’s more elegant.

[Chipworks via MacRumors]

Apple is utilizing two accelerometers in each the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Chipworks has found in its in depth teardowns of the two handsets. The first is the three-axis BMA280 accelerometer, made by Bosch, and the second is believed to be InvenSense’s six-axis MPU-6700.

The inclusion of two discrete accelerometers might initially appear odd, given the additional room and value wanted in an effort to put them each into the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, however in actuality it makes extra sense than you assume.

What this implies is that for gaming and different purposes that require “refined inertial sensing capabilities,” the iPhone will use the InvenSense. But for extra easy duties, like rotating the display to match its orientation or monitoring footsteps, the iPhone will use the Bosch.
This exceptional engineering trick outcomes not solely in much less power consumption, but in addition a extra streamlined consumer expertise. The Bosch accelerometer has a considerably quicker chilly begin up time than the InvenSense—3ms vs. 30ms, respectively—which means customers see much less of a delay.

The inclusion of two totally different accelerometers is the sort of factor that units Apple aside from the competitors. It might simply have gotten away with utilizing simply the one, however as an alternative opted for two as a result of it’s extra elegant.


[Chipworks by way of MacRumors]
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