Apple Testing A5X Variant in Next-Generation iPhone Prototype

Apple is reportedly testing a prototype of next-generation iPhone hidden under the iPhone 4 casing. The next iPhone is said to not include the iPhone 4/4s form factor, and Apple is testing the prototype in older casing in order to throw off leaks. The prototype iPhone is used to test a variation of A5X processor in an iPhone. The A5X system-on-a-chip in the iPad 3 was specifically designed to run the new Retina Display, so that adding this chip in the next iPhone wouldn’t make much sense.

Instead, the iPhone prototype is said to include a variant of A5X’s S5L8945X architecture. The new iPhone prototype reportedly includes 1GB of RAM. The iPhone prototype is not an actual smartphone that Apple will produce; instead it is an internal-only unit that is build for testing the performance of a new processor in the next-generation iPhone.

Also Apple seems still interested in the iPod touch, the only iOS device that was not updated last year (except for adding a new white model). According to a file from internal iOS 5.1 build, the company is working on next-generation iPod touch that is internally labeled iPod 5,1.

There are not any details about the hardware of the new model, but the upgrade from current 4,1 iPod touch label to 5,1 points to major internal changes. Perhaps the company is going to include an A5 or A5X-like processors in the iPod touch, as it is one of the most popular mobile devices on the market and company’s dual-core iOS processors could bring to it the top-of-the-line graphics performance.