April 24, 2012 – BUSINESS WIRE — The HTC One S is a recently launched HSPA phone running Android 4.0.3, based on Qualcomm’s first 28nm processor, the MSM8260A, with an Adreno 225 GPU core. ABI Research performed a teardown on the handset.
The Qualcomm semiconductor scores 25% higher than its older 45nm siblings (MSM8260 or APQ8060, which are 33% larger die) in CPU performance benchmarks, thanks to the combination of the 28nm shrink and the higher-performing Qualcomm core. The graphics core performance remained on par with prior-generation designs.
Battery life is not much improved by the 28nm node chip, according to Jim Mielke, vice president of engineering, ABI Research. “The current drain for most tests was in line with the prior generation’s design,” he said, “and the video encode was actually poorer.” The actual cores drew 33% less power, and are not the limiting factor in the handset design.
The HTC One S has the first new Qualcomm S4 production platform consisting of MSM8260A, PM8921, WCN3660 connectivity, and WCD9310. ABI Research notes that the complete modem, applications processor, and connectivity circuitry occupy a very small footprint. TriQuint and Avago share in the power amplifier (PA) design wins. ABI also notes that Knowles continues its strong position with MEMS microphones.
ABI Research’s HTC One S Teardown report is available at http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1012500-HTC+ONE+S+Teardown, with detailed photos, process evaluations, and part descriptions for all of the major components. It includes circuit board photos, performance measurements, benchmark data, cost information, and board area data. ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.