A7 Processor to Be 31% Faster and 64-Bit, iPhone 5S to Support Motion Tracking?
The next-generation A7 processor in the iPhone 5S will be roughly 31 percent faster than the current A6, according to a tweet by Fox News' Clayton Morris. His sources have also mentioned a "separate chip devoted to motion tracking".
It's unclear how Apple would use motion tracking abilities, but it could be developing a new control scheme that uses motion gestures like Samsung has built into its Galaxy S series of smartphones. A profile of Jony Ive by Bloomberg earlier this year may support this hypothesis:
Longer term, Ive also has shown interest in altering how people control their computers. He has met with makers of gesture technology that lets people navigate their gadgets by moving their hands -- without touching the screen, said a personal familiar with those interactions.
Main A-series chip from prototype iPhone 5S
Separately,
9to5Mac's Mark Gurman writes that Apple has been
testing 64-bit prototypes of the A7 chip, potentially for use in the iPhone 5S.
We’ve independently heard claims that some of the iPhone 5S internal prototypes include 64-bit processors.
It’s unclear if 64-bit will make the cut, but it’s been in testing. We’re told that the 64-bit processing will make animations, transparencies, and other iOS 7 graphical effects appear much more smoothly than on existing iOS Devices…
Last September, semiconductor analyst Linley Gwennap claimed that Apple was working on a 64-bit ARMv8 solution for launch in 2014, and Apple may simply be testing future processor architectures in iPhone 5S prototype units. That report claimed the logical upgrade for the A7 would be a quad-core architecture and continued increases in graphics capabilities.
Previous leaks have shown an A7 chip -- pictured above -- with an Apple model number of APL0698, while the original A6 had a model number of APL0598. The A6X found in the fourth-generation iPad carries an APL5598 model number, demonstrating how Apple varies the first digit for members of a given A-series family and increments the second digit when transitioning to a new family.
The iPhone 5S is expected to be unveiled at a media event on September 10.
Popular Stories
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates.
This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories!
Top Stories
i...
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu.
As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running iOS 26.
If you have an iPhone 11 or later, Apple is no longer offering new versions of iOS 18, even though there...
Since the AirPods Pro 3 launched, there have been complaints from users who have noticed a static-like sound or a crackling issue when using the earbuds, particularly when Active Noise Cancellation is on but no media is playing. Users have also run into strange high-pitched whistling sounds that happen intermittently.
We shared the issues back in late October, and despite two subsequent...
There's now a dedicated Apple Music app for ChatGPT, which allows ChatGPT to make music recommendations and build playlists.
Apple Music can be added to ChatGPT through the Settings section in the Mac app, website, or iOS app. Apple Music is listed under the apps option, and connecting to it requires signing in with your Apple Account for authorization purposes.
ChatGPT can be used to...
Samsung has officially unveiled the Exynos 2600, the world's first 2 nanometer mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC), built on the company's Gate-All-Around (GAA) process. The 10-core ARM-based design aims to deliver improved performance and efficiency for flagship devices like the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
The chip uses Arm's latest cores and supports new instructions for improved CPU speed and...
There has been a whirlwind of rumors over the last few days, sourced from leaked internal software designed for the iPhone and the Mac, and news sites like The Information. Below, we have a quick recap of everything we've heard this week, which serves as a guide to Apple's product plans in 2026 and beyond.
We've organized the info by likely release date, though there are some products that...
Apple Maps no longer offers a Flyover feature that provides users with automated tours of notable landmarks in major cities. The Flyover option appears to have been nixed around when iOS 26 launched, but its removal went largely unnoticed.
Flyover city tours were introduced in 2014 with iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, using Flyover imagery to generate an aerial tour. Most cities with Flyover...
