SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 19 — Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus uses chips from Qualcomm and SK Hynix, according to gadget repair firm iFixit, which pried one of the devices open in Melbourne early today.
Apple said it received a record 4 million first-day pre-orders for the new phones, double the number for the iPhone 5 two years ago, underscoring investors’ expectations the new handset will maintain the Silicon Valley company’s stellar growth.
The company is releasing a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. They will support more than 200 telecoms carriers worldwide, with sales launching in Australia this morning and then in the United States and other countries.
Like previous iPhones, the iPhone 6 Plus uses a Qualcomm 4G LTE modem, according to iFixit.
Dissembling the device in a Mac repair shop after lining up overnight to buy a phone, iFixit technicians also found a NAND flash memory chip, used for storing media like music and photos, made by SK Hynix. Apple in the past has depended on multiple companies to supply its memory chips.
News that a supplier has been chosen – or rejected – for one of Apple’s products can sometimes cause drastic swings in stock prices. Apple doesn’t disclose which companies make the components that go into its smartphones. It also imposes strict rules forbidding its suppliers from discussing Apple-related business with investors and the media.
Shares of GT Advanced Technologies Inc, a mineral crystal specialist, slumped 13 per cent on September 9 after some investors were surprised the US company’s scratch-resistant sapphire glass was not being used on the new iPhones.
Raymond James analysts expect sales of iPhone 6 and larger iPhone 6 Plus to top 9 million in the first weekend.
As well as Apple’s stores, AT&T Inc, Sprint Corp, T-Mobile US Inc, Verizon Wireless and some Apple authorized resellers in the United States will start selling the phones today. — Reuters
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