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TechInsights Teardown: Apple Watch second generation

21 July 2023
The second generation of the Apple Watch smartwatch. Source: TechInsights

These devices are used across many markets such as fitness and sports training, consumer electronics and communications devices.

As technology has evolved, these devices have become smaller and more sophisticated allowing for more functionality to be packed onto a thin form factor.

One device is the Apple Watch, the smartwatch that comes from the wildly popular company of smart devices and computers. Last year, the company unveiled the second generation of the Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch has numerous electronic components from the parent company such as the applications processor, Wi-Fi chip and NFC controller. Additionally, there are SDRAM and flash memory from Micron Technology and microcontrollers from ST Microelectronics and a host of MEMS devices.

The following is a partial deep dive on the smartwatch from TechInsights.

Summary

  • 1.6 inch OLED
  • 1 GB mobile LPDDR4 SDRAM
  • No camera

Price: $404.00

Target market: Wearables/consumer electronics

Availability: Worldwide

Released: September 2022

The main board of the Apple Watch second generation smartwatch includes the applications processor from Apple and main memory from Micron. Source: TechInsightsThe main board of the Apple Watch second generation smartwatch includes the applications processor from Apple and main memory from Micron. Source: TechInsights

Main board

The main board of the Apple Watch second generation includes the 64-bit dual core applications processor from Apple as well as RF transceiver from Intel. Other electronic components include:

  • Micron’s 1 GB mobile LPDDR4 SDRAM and 32 GB 3D NAND flash
  • NXP Semiconductors’ display port multiplexor
  • ST Microelectronics’ 32-bit MCU, serial EEPROM memory, DC-DC converter and MCU/eSIM with 32-bit ARM
  • Texas Instruments’ load switch
  • SiTime’s MEMS oscillator
  • Dialog Semiconductor’s power management
  • Broadcom’s wireless power receiver and custom sensing ASIC
  • Qorvo’s envelop power tracker
  • Apple Wi-Fi 4/Bluetooth 5.3
  • Sony’s RF switch
  • Skyworks’ GPS LNA with filter and LB front-end module
  • Bosch Sensortec’s six-axis MEMS accelerometer and gyroscope

(Learn more about memory chips on Globalspec.com)

The microphone flex board that’s found inside the second-generation Apple Watch contains MEMS used to communicate with the internet and other devices. Source: TechInsightsThe microphone flex board that’s found inside the second-generation Apple Watch contains MEMS used to communicate with the internet and other devices. Source: TechInsights

Microphone flex board

The microphone flex board allows for communication with the external world as well as connection to smartphones. The main component is the MEMS microphone from Knowles.

(Learn more about MEMS devices on Globalspec.com)

The NFC board of the Apple Watch contains NFC controllers from both Apple and NXP Semiconductors. Source: TechInsights The NFC board of the Apple Watch contains NFC controllers from both Apple and NXP Semiconductors. Source: TechInsights

NFC board

The NFC board allows for communications and payments of the smart watch to other devices such as smartphones or mobile payments. The electronic components on the board include:

  • An NFC controller from Apple
  • An NFC controller from NXP Semiconductors
  • Ambient light sensor from AMS

(Learn more about sensor chips on Globalspec.com)

Many of the electronic components found inside the Apple Watch. Source: TechInsights Many of the electronic components found inside the Apple Watch. Source: TechInsights

Major components

  • $30.44 — Display/touchscreen subsystem (Qty: 1)
  • $20.23 — 64-bit dual core application processor — Apple (Qty: 1)
  • $9.86 — Baseband processors/RF transceiver with memory — Intel (Qty: 1)
  • $7.41 — Watch body (Qty: 1)
  • $7.39 — MB/HM front-end module — Broadcom (Qty: 1)
  • $6.79 — Multichip memory — 1 GB mobile LPDDR4 SDRAM, 32 GB 3D NAND flash – Micron (Qty: 1)
  • $4.79 — Wi-Fi 4/Bluetooth 5.3 — Apple (Qty: 1)
  • $3.02 — LB front-end module — Skyworks (Qty: 1)
  • $2.74 — Power management — Dialog Semiconductor (Qty: 1)
  • $2.70 — Crown gear assembly (Qty: 1)

To contact the author of this article, email GlobalSpecEditors@globalspec.com


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