Tags:Marvell | iPhone | Bluetooth | WIFI

Chip makers Broadcom, Samsung Electronics and Marvell Technology are among those supplying chips for Apple''s iPhone, the companies and industry sources said Monday.

Other iPhone components suppliers are Milpitas, Calif.-based Linear Technology Corp., whose power manager is inside the device, and Cambridge Silicon Radio, which is supplying a chip to create Bluetooth connectivity, according to these sources.

Up until Friday, when the iPhone went on sale, little was known about what was inside the combination cellphone, music player and Internet device.

But that all ended, beginning Saturday morning, when financial analysts and bloggers cracked open their phones and discovered what''s inside. These analysts include Mark Sue of RBC Capital Markets, Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research and Shaw Wu of American Technology Research. The blogs include ThinkSecret and IFixIt.

When faced with these reports, several of the companies on Monday confirmed they were indeed component suppliers.

Being an iPhone component supplier could significantly boost a company''s sales, should Apple reach its goal of selling 10 million of the devices by the end of 2008.

Component makers also stand to benefit if other handset manufacturers, as expected, seek to mimic some of the iPhone''s more popular features.

Sue estimated that Broadcom and Marvell could see sales increase by 7% in 2008, should Apple hit its goals.

Another benefit is the "massive publicity vehicle" that the iPhone represents, said CSR spokesman Alan Woolhouse. The phone is being dubbed among the most anticipated new devices in years.

Woolhouse, in a phone interview, confirmed that the iPhone uses one of the company''s chips for providing Bluetooth connectivity.

When asked whether or not CSR is also supplying components for a Bluetooth headset Apple now sells for the phone, Woolhouse said that was "not an unreasonable suggestion," but would not confirm or deny if that was the case.

According to the analysts and blogs, Samsung is supplying the device''s core processors, which will serve as the brains for the iPhone. A Samsung representative did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Broadcom is supplying chips regulating the device''s input and output and Marvell''s chip for creating WiFi connectivity is also inside the phone, according to these sources.

Meanwhile, Woburn, Mass.-based Skyworks Solutions is supplying a chip to strengthen the device''s cellular connection, while Wolfson Microelectronics is supplying an audio chip, according to these sources.


Source: cellular-news