Apple Watch Series 2

Apple Watch eries 2 ENGLIH b d
Teardown
Posted: eptember 28, 2016
Contributed b Mandi Gingerich and Jim Morrison
Just when ou thought we might be nished with Apple-related teardown updates, here we are
once again. We too had hoped to be through with this b now, but alas, there seems to have
been a dela in deliver of our new Apple Watch. Weve heard this is a fairl common experience
this time around. Lets see if it was worth the wait
What's new?
The latest iteration of the Apple Watch, dubbed eries 2, has been upgraded to improve its
functionalit as a primaril tness-tracker device. Onl a hair thicker and weighing in heavier than
the original, this Watch looks largel the same, until ou turn it on and observe the brighter
displa. On the inside, the most notable changes include water resistance (up to 50 m), GP, a
faster processor, longer batter life, and the new watchO 3. The previous generation, now
known as eries 1, has likewise received an upgraded processor and O.
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/apple-watch-series-2-topimage-1.jpg)
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/apple-watch-series-2-boximage-
1.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/apple-watch-series-
2-boximage-2.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/apple-watch-
series-2-boximage-3.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/apple-
watch-series-2-boximage-4.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les
/apple-watch-series-2-boximage-5.jpg)
What's inside?
It doesnt take long for this Watch to reveal some of its secrets. Others will prove more tring, but
more on that later. Below the displa (in our case, the 42 mm version), we can alread see a few
pieces including an Analog Devices 34300092 touch controller, a Texas Instruments 36372
DC-DC converter, and an NXP 67V04 NFC solution, which contains the PN549 NFC controller and
the 008 secure solution. In the original Apple Watch, the NFC and touch controller were found
inside the 1 sstem-in-package (iP). On the underside of the displa, we see an optical sensor
or an ambient light sensor from AM.
2-boximage-7.jpg)
Behind the Digital Crown, we see that again TMicroelectronics has the optical encoder, a motion
sensor for optical nger navigation (OFN).
watch-series-2-boximage-26.jpg)
The Force Touch module

Digging a little deeper, we nd the Force Touch module. Weve written about this technolog at
length in the past, including a new explorator functional analsis of its implementation in the
iPhone 6s, and we dont see anthing new in this Watch. Even the controller is the same Analog
Devices AD7149 capacitance sensor controller we have observed in previous generations of
Apple Force Touch-enabled devices. Again, in the original Watch, this was found inside the 1
iP.
Taptic engine and batter

Next up is the taptic engine and batter. As our friends at iFixit note, this batter is not easil
removed due to a large quantit of adhesive, though this will prove to be onl the rst in a series
of challenges presented b this teardown. Once we get it out, we see that the longer batter life
of the eries 2, despite power-sucking GP and a brighter displa, can indeed be attributed to a
larger batter. The 42 mm model clocks in at 3.80 V and 334 mAh, for 1.27 Whr of power. Attached
to the batters ex cable, we nd a Texas Instruments N27546-A2 single-cell Li-ion batter fuel
gauge.
series-2-boximage-11.jpg)
ensors
Below the batter, we nd a few more goodies on the top of the 2 package, including a 3 mm x
3mm TMicroelectronics LM6D3 6-axis inertial sensor with 3D digital accelerometer and 3D
digital groscope, a Bosch BMP282 pressure sensor, and an NXP 15921A1 op-amp. A quick search
of Inside Technolog (http://www.chipworks.com/competitive-technical-intelligence/overview
/inside-technolog)s genealog feature reveals that we have seen this TM sensor a few times
before, in the previous Watch, as well as the Tag Heuer Connected smartwatch and the Xiaomi Mi
5 smartphone. The Bosch pressure sensor also appears to be popular with Apple, present in
iPhones from the iPhone 6 on and iPad Air 2. We also observe that in the original Watch, the
op-amp socket, now belonging to NXP, was occupied b Texas Instruments.
series-2-boximage-14.jpg)
Microphone and speaker

Along the wa, we also found a Knowles KM1 microphone and a nift water-resistant speaker.
When the Watch is unlocked from water use, the speaker, which is designed to ood with water,
will vibrate to eject that water. Earl reviews of the watch have noted that this is actuall audible
and ver small droplet can be seen exiting the side of the Watch (the speaker opening is a
dual-slit on the left side).
2-boximage-16.jpg)
o what about the 2?

As ou ma have guessed b now, this is where we have once again run into some dicult. If
oure a regular follower of our teardowns, ou ma recall the 1 iP also proved a challenge to
open up (http://www.chipworks.com/about-chipworks/overview/blog/inside-the-apple-watch-
technical-teardown-blog) and identif the contents. Our labs are still busil working on it, and
were condent the will come through, but here is what we can tell and show ou in the
meantime:
Comparing to the 1, the overall size remains about the same, though as we have alread seen, a
couple parts once found inside the iP are now found externall: the capacitance sensor
controller (Force Touch), NFC solution, and MEM motion sensor.
till MIA from our teardown of the eries 2 so far are the GP/GLONA, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth
solutions, as well as the processor. We expect we will nd these inside the 2, of course, and will
update ou as soon as we are able to identif them.
watch-series-2-boximage-20.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les
/apple-watch-series-2-boximage-21.jpg) (http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default
/les/apple-watch-series-2-boximage-22.jpg)
Update: The 2 contains more than 42 die!

The 2 is a sstem in package (iP). As we learned with the rst generation 1, these iP modules
contain a mix of package stles all in one large module. imilar to WiFi modules from Murata or
UI, there is one module that contains several components. These components can be packaged
as bare die (CP, WLP etc) or traditional wire bonded packages to even multi-chip packages like a
package on package or a multi die memor DRAM or NAND.
Deprocessing these iP modules while still retaining package marks is a challenge. Care must be
taken to capture ever component in the iP. The 2 contains more than 42 die! That is a lot of
silicon in such a small module.
One of the rst die to emerge from the 2 iP is an TMicroelectronics AIC. This die appears to
be a custom AIC for the Apple Watch series 2 to monitor various signal levels for the entire
Watch. The die is 1.7 mm x 1.7 mm in a 5 x 5 CP package.
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/stm-callout_0.jpg)
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/stm-callout-2.jpg)
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/stm-callout-3.jpg)
(http://www.chipworks.com/sites/default/les/stm-callout-die.jpg)
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Apple Watch eries 2 ENGLIH b d

Posted: eptember 28, 2016

Contributed b Mandi Gingerich and Jim Morrison

The Force Touch module

Taptic engine and batter

Microphone and speaker

o what about the 2?

Update: The 2 contains more than 42 die!

w Apple iPhone 7 Teardown (/about-chipworks Fitbit Charge 2 Teardown (/about-

j ubscribe to the latest Chipworks news and reports Follow Chipworks h g i

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