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Friday, October 10, 2008
Apple's 2nd-Generation iPod touch: Confirmation Of Broadcom's Function
Oct 10 2008 9:36AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (2) |
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In my recently published teardown analysis of Apple's 2nd-generation iPod, I highlighted a Broadcom-designed Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM IC whose presence was curious considering that the current spec sheet for the iPod touch mentions neither Bluetooth nor FM radio capabilities. I opined that while Apple might have added plans for the chip (to be unlocked in future firmware updates), right now the company was probably adapting the Bluetooth subsystem to support Nike+ connectivity. And in an email I received Wednesday afternoon, John R. Barr (Director of Standards Realization at Motorola and Vice Chairman of the Board at the Bluetooth SIG) concurs with my conclusion:
You are right about the Broadcom chip implementing the Nike+ interface. Nordic did the Nike+ chip sets and Nokia was working closely with Nordic on something called Wibree. Nokia had submitted this radio design to IEEE 802.15.4 in 2001, but a design from Motorola was accepted over Nokia’s proposal. The Nokia proposal was an attempt to define a low power radio that would coexist well with Bluetooth devices (IEEE 802.15.1), but the 802.15.4 committee didn’t like Bluetooth and wanted a unique design.
Because the design is similar to Bluetooth, it is possible to reprogram a Bluetooth chip to use the Nordic/Wibree modulation and channel usage. Nokia has since contributed the Wibree specification to the Bluetooth SIG to ensure widespread adoption. That means the 2nd gen iTouch is one of the first commercial devices that should be able to support Bluetooth Low Energy when it is release around mid-2009.
You can take a look at the early Nokia radio design by looking in the IEEE 802.15 archives that are open to anyone. Here is a link [editor note: PowerPoint file] to the PHY portion of their proposal.
Thought you'd like to know. Happy weekend, folks!
Reader Comments
at 10/11/2008 8:01:29 AM, plugh said:
Do your research and find out what the Nike+ RF protocol really is....very lazy and inaccurate reporting. Are you trying out for the NY Times?
at 10/12/2008 5:50:03 PM, InterestedinRF said:
According to several tear downs the Nike device uses a chip that has nothing to do with Nokia or Wibree. It uses a proprietary Nordic Semiconductor chip and a proprietary protocol (developed either by Nordic or possibly by Nike). Nordic is a major developer of proprietary "ultra low power" wireless beyond anything it did with Wibree and has significant market share in the wireless mouse and keyboard market. Apple have probably modified the protocol in the Broadcom chip to communicate with the Nordic/Nike device. However, John R. Barr''s comments are perceptive - Nordic IS part of the Bluetooth SIG group developing Bluetooth low energy (which in turn is partially based on Nokia''s Wibree) and it''s likely that any Bluetooth low energy chip will be quite similar to the current Nordic/Nike proprietary device. The Bluetooth SIG is also planning to make available a spec that will allow slightly modified conventional Bluetooth chips (so-called Bluetooth "dual-mode" devices) to communicate with Bluetooth low energy chips (and, of course, traditional Bluetooth chips). The dual-mode chips will be cost-comparable with current Bluetooth silicon, allowing Apple - if it so chooses - to substitute it in the iPod touch in place of the current device (with the added benefit of then running a ''standard'' Bluetooth protocol). Then, if Nike and other users of proprietary low power wireless devices (such as the sportswatch makers) migrate to Bluetooth low energy, the iPod touch will be interoperable with a wide range of third party peripheral devices that currently can''t use Bluetooth due to power constraints (i.e. because they have to use coin cell type batteries).
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