Survey of ARM cores used in iOS devices

by David Thomas on —

I recently needed a complete list of ARM cores used in Apple’s iOS kit. We were trying to track down a bug which initially appeared to be something processor-dependent. The bug turned out to be something else, but I’d already compiled much of this table anyway. So, here it is for your reference:

Model Release Apple Name A.K.A. Core Bits Cores Arch Notes
iPhone 2007/06 S5L8900 ARM1176JZF-S 32 1 v6
iPod Touch 1 2007/09 S5L8900 ARM1176JZF-S 32 1 v6
iPhone 3G 2008/07 S5L8900 ARM1176JZF-S 32 1 v6
iPod Touch 2 2008/09 S5L8720 ARM1176JZF-S 32 1 v6
iPhone 3GS 2009/06 S5L8920 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7 Samsung Hummingbird 1
iPod Touch 3 32/64G 2009/09 S5L8922 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7 iPod Touch 3 8G is 2nd gen hardware
iPad 2010/04 A4 APL0398 S5L8930 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7
iPhone 4 2010/06 A4 APL0398 S5L8930 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7
iPod Touch 4 2010/09 A4 APL0398 S5L8930 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7
AppleTV 2 2010/09 A4 APL0398 S5L8930 Cortex-A8 32 1 v7
iPad 2 2011/03 A5 APL0498 S5L8940 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7
iPhone 4S 2011/10 A5 APL0498 S5L8940 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7
iPad 3 2012/03 A5X APL5498 S5L8945 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7
AppleTV 3 2012/03 A5R2 APL2498 S5L8942 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7 Has two cores but one is disabled! 2
iPhone 5 2012/09 A6 APL0598 S5L8950X “Swift” 32 2 v7S Custom design
iPod Touch 5 2012/10 A5R2 APL2498 S5L8942 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7
iPad 4 2012/11 A6X APL5598 S5L8955 “Swift” 32 2 v7S Custom design
iPad Mini 2012/11 A5R2 APL2498 S5L8942 Cortex-A9 32 2 v7
AppleTV 3A 2013/01 A5R2 APL7498 S5L8947 Cortex-A9 32 1 v7 A ‘proper’ single core design
iPhone 5C 2013/09 A6 APL0598 S5L8950X “Swift” 32 2 v7S Custom design
iPhone 5S 2013/09 A7 APL0698 S5L8960X “Cyclone” 64 2 v8 Custom design
iPad Air 2013/11 A7 “Cyclone” 64 2 v8 Custom design
iPad Mini 2 2013/11 A7 “Cyclone” 64 2 v8 Custom design

The 64-bit A7 chips are still a bit too new to find out about in much detail.

See that the ‘S5L’ code name digits are the ‘APL’ product name but with its digits reversed. So a hypothetical Apple APL5678 would be a S5L8765.

Data from Wikipedia and PDAdb. E&OE.

And what do you know… I compile all that then I find this.